MILWAUKEE — Thousands of triathletes will descend on Milwaukee's lakefront this weekend for the USA Triathlon, bringing significant traffic impacts to the area.
The event will cause major closures to Lincoln Memorial Drive, 794, and surrounding streets starting at 4 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, making it difficult for boaters to access McKinley Marina.
Jim Buss, a local boater, expressed concerns about how these closures will affect his weekend plans.
"It's what I enjoy in retirement, it's what I enjoyed doing for relaxation my whole life," Buss said.
Buss encountered problems the last time the event was held in Milwaukee in 2023. He worries this year will bring similar challenges.
"How many Saturdays do we have in the summer time? Not many. How many Saturdays do we have with beautiful weather, even less," Buss said.
The closures extend beyond boaters. St. Francis Police warned residents to plan ahead, noting that homes with driveway access to the bike course "will not have the ability to leave their driveway" during Saturday's race.
Watch: USA Triathlon in Milwaukee brings differing opinions as race impacts traffic
Despite the inconveniences, athletes like Jacob Capin appreciate the road closures in Milwaukee. He says Milwaukee is a great city for the event because of its ability to host all three parts of the triathlon in such close proximity.
"I know triathletes all across the country, and everybody loves coming to Milwaukee. It's no surprise USA Triathlon has brought this event back here," Capin said.
Capin, who has competed in over 100 triathlons and won an Ironman in Madison last year, emphasized that closing the course roads is essential for participant safety.
"Having that closed course and venue is totally crucial like we need that for safety. There have been incidents in other races where there haven't been totally closed courses have been hit," Capin said.
While acknowledging the impact on boaters, Capin pointed to the benefits of hosting the event, including an estimated $6.7 million economic impact on the Milwaukee area, according to Visit Milwaukee.
This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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