Root River Parkway

Milwaukee County was looking to reconstruct the Root River Parkway from 92nd Street to the fork just west of the Root River Parkway as the road had reached the end of its useful life. Because Root River Parkway extends through the Milwaukee County Park system and is adjacent to the Whitnall Beer Garden, design considerations were given to both vehicular and pedestrian travel while designing the roadway and parking lot.

raSmith provided design services to the County for this 2,200-foot road reconstruction project that included widening the road to allow for additional parking and bicycle travel. New pavement markings improved ease of use and safety. Bio-basins to the north of the roadway improved stormwater quality and helped to reduce runoff. A 10-foot-wide asphalt path, with two branching paths to the beer garden, reduces pedestrian traffic along the roadway and parking lot.

raSmith also provided landscape architecture services to develop a tree protection plan and new plantings to enhance the parking and beer garden areas.

The parking lot was reconfigured to include additional parking to the north of the lot and bicycle facilities to the south and widened slightly to include a pedestrian path along the west. The lot was graded to drain to new permeable pavers that reduce runoff and improve water quality over existing conditions. New lighting encompasses the entire project limits and extends along the roadway, pedestrian path, and parking lot.

Additionally, floodplain impacts were reviewed and mitigated through site grading and earthwork balance, and all permitting was coordinated through the design process.