Wisconsin Bike Week back, mayor shares plans to increase cycling safety
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin Bike Week is back, and city leaders took a stroll for the annual Mayor's Bike Ride.
Dozens of riders met early Monday for the 4.5-mile ride around the Walker's Square neighborhood.
One cycling family that participated tells CBS 58 they were excited when they learned the annual ride would be in their neighborhood, and they are happy the city has the pedal going on bike safety.
"We've seen Milwaukee, in the last couple of years, make some huge improvements in bike safety. We've always felt like Milwaukee has been a good place to bike, but not a great place to bike. We're excited for it to move to the next level," Milwaukee resident Nicole Hertel Meirose said.
Mayor Johnson shared plans for investing in the infrastructure needed to make city streets safer for cyclists. Johnson said increasing safety for bike riders can help the local economy.
"If you feel safe riding your bike down a busy street like National Avenue, you're going to feel safe walking down the street, visiting businesses on that street," Mayor Johnson said.
Over 20 miles of new protected bike lanes are coming to Milwaukee to keep cyclists out of harm's way. The protected bike lanes will feature buffers to keep the bike lane out of traffic.
Also on the list of improvements are bike boulevards. The Wisconsin Bike Fed describes bike boulevards as streets with curb extensions, speed bumps, and traffic circles for lower-pace and young riders.
"Our kids deserve the ability to roam their neighborhoods safely and freely," said Michael Anderson, program manager for the Wisconsin Bike Fed.
Mayor Johnson announced Washington Street in Walker's Square will be transformed into a bike boulevard, welcome news for Hertel Meirose and her two young sons.
"There's a lot of parts of the city that we're not comfortable with them riding their bikes, on the street for sure. Anything that can be done to make it safer is important for us," she said.
Wisconsin Bike Week runs until Tuesday, June 13. For more information on events, visit the Wisconsin Bike Fed website.