Bike Resources

Maps

City of Milwaukee

Milwaukee Bike Map Hub 

Milwaukee Protected Bikeways Map

Use the map linked below to track Milwaukee's progress towards Mayor Johnson's commitment to installing 50 miles of protected bikeways from 2023 - 2026.

• Milwaukee Protected Bikeways Map

Interactive Bike Stress Map

The City of Milwaukee has created an Interactive Bike Stress Map to help people find biking directions using only streets that are comfortable to bike on.

• Interactive Bike Map
• Interactive Bike Map Project Info

Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County has an interactive map of the all the parks and trails in the county.

• Milwaukee County Parks and Trails 

Wisconsin DOT

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) produces county maps of bicycling conditions within Wisconsin.

• Milwaukee County - Wisconsin Bicycle Map

Parking

Milwaukee aims to make biking an easy and convenient way to move around the city. Being able to park a bike quickly and safely near your destination is key - which is exactly why we have installed thousands of publicly available bike racks throughout the city!

The City offers a variety of programs to help residents and businesses access high-quality bike parking throughout the Milwaukee community. Learn about how to request regular and, if you're a BID or NID, decorative bike racks below.  

How to Request a Bike Rack 

Please use this form to request a new bike rack or identify an existing rack that needs to be repaired or replaced. Anyone can request a rack! Learn about requirements and rack types below to help you submit your request. 

Bike Rack Location Requirements

• Must have at least a 2' x 6' space available so that a bike can be locked to either side of the rack
• Must not block the sidewalk path or any fire hydrants, emergency exits, utility access points, etc. when a bike is locked to the rack
• Cannot be on private property
• For U-racks, must have a concrete surface
• For bell racks and hitch racks, must be attached to an existing pole
• See Section 4 and Section 5 of the Bicycle Space Parking Ordinance for comprehensive guidelines

Bike Rack Types

Each rack provides parking for two bicycles.

U-Rack	Bell Rack	Hitch Rack

Request a Bike Rack

How to Request a Decorative Bike Rack 

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Neighborhood Improvement Districts (NIDs), and other neighborhood organizations in Milwaukee can request decorative bike racks with their own unique designs. U-racks with both circular plates (photo pictured below) and horizontal crossbars (digital mockup pictured below) are available. The designs can be in color or black and white and are printed onto heavy-duty vinyl labels and applied to the racks. The first decorative bike racks with Milwaukee-themed labels can be found around Downtown Milwaukee.

Photo of pilot circular plate U-rack	Digital mockup of bar U-rack

The City provides the racks at no cost, while the organization pays for the cost of the labels and the labor needed to install the racks. Costs will vary depending on the number and type of racks ordered and may range from approximately $75 to $175 per rack. Decorative bike racks cannot be requested by individual businesses. 

Application

If you are a neighborhood organization interested in decorative bike racks, please fill out and email the application linked below to m[email protected] with the subject line "Decorative Bike Racks Application."

Decorative Bike Racks Application Form (Link downloads a Word document)

Please see the documents linked below for examples of what information should be included with the application.

• Example Filled-In Application Form (Link downloads a Word document)
• Example Map and Table
• Example Design

Who to Call

Residents and visitors can help themselves and other bicyclists by using this contact list to report concerns, make requests or ask questions.

Bicycle Registration/License (City of Milwaukee only) - Pick up a license sticker at your nearest library or police station and activate it online at itmdapps.milwaukee.gov/bicyclelicenseweb or email [email protected] or call 414-286-2238

City Resources

Non-Emergencies, including stolen bicycles - 414-933-4444 (City of Milwaukee non-emergency police) 

Parking Enforcement - 414-286-3238 (City of Milwaukee parking services) 

DPW Call Center - Street lights out, traffic signals out, downed delineators, etc 

• 414-286-CITY (2489) 
• Report Online 
• Report through the MKE Mobile Action app

Injured, Abandoned or Aggressive Animals - 414-649-8640 (Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission) 

Graffiti Reporting Hotline - 414-286-8715 or [email protected] 

Bublr Bikes Bike Share - Website or 414-931-1121

County Resources

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) - 414-344-6711

• Bicycle racks on buses
• Transit routes and schedules

Milwaukee County Public Works Department - 414-278-4835

Trail Resources

Oak Leaf Trail – Issues, Questions, Information - Milwaukee County Parks Department at 414-257-6100

Hank Aaron State Trail – Issues, Questions, Info

• Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources - [email protected] or 414-263-8559

Ozaukee Interurban Trail - Issues, Questions, Info - 1-877-875-7795

Infrastructure

The City of Milwaukee has over 160 miles of bike lanes, including protected bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, and bike boulevards. The City also has miles of paved trails for bike use including the Hank Aaron State Trail, the Milwaukee County Oak Leaf Trail and the City's Beerline Trail. Below you'll find ways Milwaukee is improving biking throughout the City!

Bike Infrastructure Map 

Bike Boulevards

The bike boulevard traffic calming measure reduce speeding, which improves safety for pedestrians, bike riders, and drivers.

Protected Bike Lanes

Protected bike lanes use physical dividers to separate people biking from people driving and walking. These exclusive bike lanes combine the user experience of a trail with the on-street design of a traditional bike lane.

Buffered Bike Lanes

A buffered bike lane is similar to a regular bike lane, but also includes a marked buffer between the bike lane and adjacent travel lanes.

Bike Lanes

Milwaukee Department of Public Works has a comprehensive network of bike lanes and routes for Milwaukee residents to use and enjoy.

Shared Lane Markings

Shared Lane Marking (sometimes called sharrows) are street markings that are installed in a few locations on Milwaukee streets as an awareness tool for drivers, bike riders, and pedestrians.

Bridge Plating

Plating makes crossing bridges with open metal decking safer for people riding bikes.

Trails

Along with miles of bike lanes, Milwaukee has numerous off-street bike paths that run throughout the city including the Beerline Trail, KK River Trail and the Oak Leaf Trail.