By: Ethan Duran//August 17, 2022//
By: Ethan Duran//August 17, 2022//
Milwaukee has secured state funds for an extension of the city’s Riverwalk, pushing forth plans to improve the walkway for pedestrians.
The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee has secured $128,000 for The Node, a 3,000 square-foot aquatic habitat in the Harbor District, the city said in a statement. The funds were from the State of Wisconsin’s Coastal Management Program, which Gov. Tony Evers announced in June 2022.
The Node, at 611 E. Greenfield Ave., will be part of a 4,300 linear-foot extension near Komatsu Mining Corporation’s South Harbor Campus, the city said. The plan calls for a modified dock wall to develop an aquatic habitat and spawning zone and will include ADA-accessible ramps and stairs to give the public better access to the edge of the water.
“Thanks to the State of Wisconsin, this grant will add to our positive momentum by making The Node a reality, which will provide residents, visitors and tourists the ability to view and touch the water,” Milwaukee Department of City Development Commissioner Lafayette Crump said in a statement. “Projects like The Node will help offer more education opportunities in the harbor, promote equity on our waterfronts and allow our youth to experience everything Milwaukee has to offer.”
The city first developed the Riverwalk in 1993, from the site of the former North Avenue Dam through Downtown and the Historic Third Ward to Lake Michigan, the city said. The Riverwalk will extend throughout the Harbor District along the Kinnickinnic River.
“Our waterways are a great natural resource, and as we add connections to the water, we celebrate this asset. Our Riverwalks have become centers of commerce and recreation that add to the vitality for all of Milwaukee,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in a statement.
The public-private partnership between property owners and the city is an exchange for permanent public access with financial assistance from the city for constructing private Riverwalk improvements.