Milwaukee RIver Greenway
Sometimes called Milwaukee’s Central Park, the Milwaukee River Greenway is 800 acres of river valley protected within a mile of downtown and includes 70% Milwaukee County Parkland. This grassroots advocacy effort started in 2006 to write legislation to preserve the “viewshed” – the view one has when on the water or along the trails that has no visual intrusions, such as buildings or smoke stacks or power lines. You’d never know you were in the city!
The Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition, working together in partnership for 15 years in 2021, assists Milwaukee County Parks (through an MOU) and municipalities take care of and enhance this natural urban gem for all to enjoy!
878 acres of trails and greenspace
28 miles of hiking, biking and water trails
Covers 6 miles of the Milwaukee River
LInks 12 public parks
What is the greenway?
- Cambridge Woods Neighborhood Association
- Friends of Estabrook Park
- Friends of Lincoln Park
- Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)
- Milwaukee County Parks
- Milwaukee Environmental Consortium
- Milwaukee Friends Meeting/Quakers
- Milwaukee Riverkeeper
- Milwaukee River Advocates Co-Op
- Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD)
- River Revitalization Foundation
- Sierra Club/Nearby Nature
- Urban Ecology Center
River Revitalization Foundation (RRF) is the lead organization in the Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition, a group of stakeholders engaged in protecting the ecological and recreational value of over 800 acres of greenspace. The Coalition worked with the Village of Shorewood and the City of Milwaukee to adopt protective ordinances, which passed in 2006 and 2010 respectively, that permanently protect the Milwaukee River Valley from insensitive development. The Milwaukee River Greenway Master Plan was completed in 2010 with much public input and provides a comprehensive vision for the river as a unique urban wilderness containing restored natural communities and shared recreational opportunities.
Future of the Greenway: Area of Concern (AOC) Milwaukee River Floodplain Cleanup Project
The Milwaukee River Greenway will be undergoing some big cleanup projects in the next coming years to remove contaminated sediment from the floodplains.
The Milwaukee River Floodplains Cleanup site includes 34 acres of wetlands and a 3.5-mile section of the river located between the former Estabrook Dam and former North Avenue Dam. This project is part of a larger effort to clean up contaminated soil within the floodplains and bring back a healthier environment where plants, animals, and people can thrive. Officials from federal, state, and local units of government are working together with the community to ensure public health and safety is protected, and to determine next steps for the ongoing river cleanup efforts.
New Greenway Book Released!
Get your copy of The Milwaukee River Greenway: A Wealth of Nature in the Heart of the City by Eddee Daniel!
Available to purchase from BookBaby.com. Also available at a discount from the author. Contact: eddee@eddeedaniel.com. Click HERE for more info and to view Eddee’s other books!
Where is the greenway?
The northern part of the Greenway begins in Lincoln Park on Silverspring Drive and continues south past North Avenue eventually ending at RRF on Riverboat Road.
Greenway Partners
City of Milwaukee
City of Glendale
Village of Shorewood
Cambridge Woods Neighborhood Association
Friends of Estabrook Park
Friends of Lincoln Park
Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)
Milwaukee County Parks
Milwaukee Friends Meeting/Quakers
Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Milwaukee River Advocates Co-Op
River Revitalization Foundation
Sierra Club's Nearby Nature Initiatve
Urban Ecology Center