Let's Talk Trikes: The Booming Bicycle Business in Milwaukee

Originally posted to The ACE Blogspot on 5/27/18. (How bout dat obnoxious title, eh?) I manage a sandwich shop that proudly carries The Shepherd Express. In the May 17-23, 2018 issue, the cover page article really caught my attention. Reading more, I learned so much about biker's place in the city and those damn blue Bublr stations popping up everywhere.

Photo courtesy of @nickmanske_photo on Instagram Rob Hullum proposes that bicyclists aren't the only ones who benefit from bike lanes: the community and local economy also seem to reap the benefits. Safer and economically driven communities have found that adding or creating bicycle lanes may raise property value, increase traffic to local businesses (bikers also tend to spend more than car drivers, by the way, as seen in one Portland study), and roadway designs that incorporate bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly designs create safer, more comfortable districts. The City of Milwaukee made a statement regarding bicyclists' presence and safety in 2010 with their bicycle master plan entitled "Milwaukee by Bike." It proposes the idea of three main goals to be achieved by 2020: 5% of all transportation trips made by bike, reducing bicycle accidents by 50%, and further creating an "attractive, safe, and accessible network of bike facilities within one-quarter mile of all city residents." Incorporating trails throughout the city has been a major factor in implementing these plans. The Oak Leaf trail, owned by the county, runs a massive 108 miles encircling the city. Additionally, the state owned Hank Aaron trail, a continuous trail from the lakefront to Waukesha County, runs about 12 miles. Beginning in 2010, the city has worked to create two more local trails: the Beerline Trail (2010) and the Kinnickinnic River Trail (2013).

These are massive steps considering the mere 20-some miles of bike lanes that the city had as recently as the mid-2000's (with no bike trails at the time). With recent roadway designs, there have been conscious efforts made to incorporate bike lanes into newer roadways, including a current 120+ miles of bike lanes through repaving projects, etc. Separated bike lanes are also becoming more popular, as these raised or separated (often by parked cars, extra space, or curbs) lanes make bikers feel safer. Because of this, a wider variety of bikers use these lanes in comparison to experienced bikers, who are the majority when it comes to city bikers. The city has done more than just put in more trails and bike lanes. The city's Department of Public Works has installed more than 1,500 bike racks and numerous bike share programs, including Bublr. Bublr is a non-profit organization that essentially offers a rentable fleet of bikes. Bublr made its Milwaukee debut in August of 2014, when they hosted 10 city wide stations. Now there are 87 stations, but it is still a struggle to reach every neighbourhood due to its cost: $75,000 for each station. That being said, they are booming with popularity. In 2017 alone, there were over 90,000 recorded trips. Additionally, Bublr has made advancements with its recurring riders. Partnering with the Milwaukee Public Transit System, the Buslr Pass allows users to pay for Bublr and the bus with only one card. In the future, city representatives have stated that they'd like to have additional similar partnerships with the coming streetcar. "Pedestrian and bicycle-focused urban planning is often framed as an issue for pedestrians and cyclists only. But research suggests that building pedestrian and bicycle-friendly infrastructure also drives economic growth." (Rob Hullum, Shepherd Express) Visit Hullum's original article online.