North Avenue, from the Milwaukee River to Lake Michigan, is a central commercial corridor on the East Side of Milwaukee. This segment of North Avenue is also one of the top Crash Corridors identified in the 2019 Milwaukee Pedestrian Plan and is one of the city's top #1- corridors in the High Injury Network.

The East Side BID Board of Directors engaged two consulting firms - Graef and TKWA - to create a vision for north Avenue located east of the Milwaukee River. As you will see in the two documents below, the recommendations will significantly improve traffic safety. This vision is broad and high-level. Several alternatives are supported which improve traffic safety along the corridor in line with the City's Vision Zero commitment and Complete Streets policy. Additional BID goals for future corridor redesign include enhanced placemaking, comfortable biking and micro-mobility experience, and increased commercial activity and development.

The vision recommended assumes minimal changes made to the existing traffic configuration (e.g. the preservation of existing turning lanes, transit configuration, lane widths, direction of travel, etc.). Beyond this vision, multiple other alternatives are recommended, though additional study is needed to assess the feasibility. Additional studies could impact the alternatives outlined.

In December, the City of Milwaukee Common Council will vote on approval of a Tax Incremental District for North Avenue. If approved, a team of individuals from the City's Department of City Development, the Department of Public Works, the East Side BID, consulting firms, and others will develop an operational plan and budget to turn the vision into a reality. We will continue to publish updates on our plants regularly and give stakeholders multiple opportunities to engage and share their thoughts. 

Contact the East Side BID

If you have questions or would like to discuss, please contact us at director@theeastside.org.

Review the Recommendations

Click here to view the "North Avenue on the East Side: Creating a Safe Place for People" presentation.

Click here to read the "North Avenue Streetscaping Vision: Recommendations and Alternatives."

Voice Your Support

If you'd like to voice your support for this initiative, please click here to download a sample Letter of Support.

Letters of support can be emailed to:

RACMinfo@milwaukee.gov
clee@milwaukee.gov
planadmin@milwaukee.gov
Rep.Brostoff@legis.wisconsin.gov
jperez@milwaukee.gov
dcdcommunciations@milwaukee.gov