Hank Aaron State Trail extension
The official opening of the Hank Aaron State Trail western extension took place November 8m, 2010. The new section of trail follows former railroad tracks between 37th St and 94th Place. The route can be clearly seen on the Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin map because it is marked as a railroad line.
This western extension of the Hank Aaron State Trail provides off-street access to the VA Grounds / Wood VA Center, Wisconsin State Fair Park, the Pettit Center, and neighborhoods along the way. The next leg of the Trail, to be completed after reconstruction of the I-94 Zoo Interchange project, will run to W. 124th and Bluemound, joining the Hank Aaron State Trail with the Oak Leaf Trail in Underwood Creek Parkway, right along the Milwaukee / Waukesha County Line.
There are a limited number of access points to the new trail. A map of the trail and it's access points can be found here.
On the whole section, there are only two grade crossings. Here are the access points (going from east to west):
- A connecting trail (the Valley Passage), which starts at Pierce St and 37th, goes north down a switchback, goes under the existing railroad track, crossing the Menomonee River, and connects to the existing trail at Canal St.
- General Mitchell Blvd in the Wood VA Center, one of the two grade crossings.
- 56th St, a connector from the south.
- The west side of Hawley Rd.
- 68th St, a connector from the north.
- 76th St, the other grade crossing.
- 89th St, an informal connector from the south.
- 94th Place, the present western end of the trail. The continuation of the trail to the west awaits the reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange.
The trail crosses several bike routes shown on the map without connecting with them, instead crossing over or under them:
- The bike trail on the east side of Miller Parkway that connects National Avenue to Canal St (trail crosses over).
- 70th St (crosses under).
- 84th St (crosses over). At this time there is no direct connection to the Wisconsin State Fair.
- 92nd St (crosses over).