Two weeks ago, Milwaukee County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman set up a public survey about the possibility of Milwaukee County Parks charging for parking at certain locations along the lakefront. Wasserman released the results last week in his Friday newsletter, and they speak loud and clear: Milwaukeeans support paid parking in certain lakefront parking lots—as long as parking remains free along Lincoln Memorial Drive.
According to Wasserman, a total of 365 people responded to the survey. For question #1, “Do you support Milwaukee County charging for parking in certain designated lakefront parking lots if free parking remains available along Lincoln Memorial Drive?” 60% of respondents said YES. “About 31% opposed the idea, while approximately 9% said they were unsure or needed additional information,” Wasserman added.
For question #2, “Which approach to lakefront parking would you prefer?” the answers were more mixed.
“Out of 363 respondents, 35.5% favored charging only in high-demand parking lots while maintaining free parking along Lincoln Memorial Drive, while 32.5% wanted all lakefront parking to remain free,” Wasserman said. “Another 29.5% supported charging for all lakefront parking, with a small percentage expressing no preference.”
Wasserman also discussed some of the written comments he received.
“While opinions varied, I heard repeatedly that accessibility and affordability must remain at the center of this discussion,” he said. “Many of you who supported some form of paid parking, favored a compromise, such as charging only at high-demand locations, during peak periods, on weekends or during major events while continuing to provide meaningful free parking options. Others were strongly opposed to any fees. Another consistent message was that any revenue generated should be reinvested into our Parks system and used to maintain and improve park related areas.”
Why the discussion about charging for parking along the lakefront in the first place? Wasserman addressed that, too.
“Unfortunately, the under-funding of our Parks department has pushed us to start this discussion, but your input provides valuable direction on how to move forward with revenue options.”
Parks is kicking around parking rates of $2-$4 per hour, “but the actual rates could change,” Wasserman said earlier in the month. “Parks is also considering being selective about when fees would apply, focusing on peak-use periods rather than charging year-round,” he added.
When would this potentially go into effect? “If the proposal moves forward, implementation could begin in 2027, with spring being the earliest start,” Wasserman said earlier in the month.
Oh, and “Parks has also indicated that it does not intend to install traditional parking meters and is instead exploring technology such as a QR-code based ‘scan and park’ system, similar to what the Milwaukee County Zoo already uses,” Wasserman said.
In early September, Urban Milwaukee reported that “the Story Hill Neighborhood Association formally expressed support for the pilot program, provided it would not introduce paid parking along Story Parkway.”
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