January 30, 2019 — Great news – it’s official! The Milwaukee County Parks Department announced at the Milwaukee County Board Parks, Energy & Environment Committee meeting yesterday, January 29, that the Ravine Road bridge will be rehabilitated.
The project will be done through a combination of County funds and a federal grant of up to $2 million, with bridge rehabilitation design to start this summer.
A big thank you to our generous donors, whose support made the additional studies possible, and to County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman for his support over the past two years of Lake Park Friends’ efforts to further evaluate the rehabilitation alternative.
Such a moment in preserving one of the most iconic historic features in the park is remarkable.
“This is great news for Lake Park, great news for historic preservation, and in the end, it’s a great ending to a story about what can be accomplished together through partnership when friends, donors, supporters, and the County all come together,” said Lake Park Friends President Colleen Reilly. “It’s a result that benefits all of Milwaukee for a long time to come. We’re very happy.”
The County told us the road will remain closed until the bridge is fixed, which may not be for another 2-3 years. LPF is not aware at this time that the County is proposing a change to Ravine Road. Their staff is focused on fixing the bridge. We can tell you that any changes to the park, which is on National Register of Historic Places and in the City of Milwaukee North Point North Historic District, need to be approved by local, state, and federal historic preservation regulatory agencies.