Perry Street Developed Alternatives

Terminology

Designs for Perry Street Connection 

These community-driven Preferred Alternatives were shaped directly by your feedback. By analyzing land use, community needs, and economic factors, we have refined these concepts to ensure our future aligns with your vision for the neighborhood. 

Multimodal Bridge Connection 

By transforming physical barriers into vital corridors, multimodal bridges safely unite historically isolated neighborhoods through integrated pedestrian, cycling, and transit pathways, thereby alleviating vehicular congestion, driving local economic vitality, and elevating the daily quality of life of the area. 

However, the project will require some modifications to adjacent properties, including access adjustments and driveway realignments.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Only Bridge Connection

Dedicated pedestrian and bicycle-only bridges create a safe, uninterrupted, and highly efficient active transportation corridors that connect disjointed neighborhoods while completely separating vulnerable users from high-speed vehicular traffic. 

This alternative presents fewer impacts than the Multi-modal Bridge Connection, requires fewer driveway modifications, and maintains full access to both Applegate Road and Ann Street. Two properties would continue to be adversely affected.

Public Feedback

Below is a summary of the feedback received after the April 2026 public meeting where staff presented the developed alternatives above.

Public Feedback - What We Heard

Participants in the April 2026 public meeting generally:

• Favored a bridge focused on walking and bicycling. 
• Expressed concerns related to the community impacts of adding a new vehicle connection—including impacts to traffic and private property. 

Design Feedback: Key Themes

Bicycle and pedestrian traffic only:

• Perceived as a valuable connection among supporters for improving bikeability and walkability
• This alternative would stimulate the need for sidewalks and real bike paths on area streets to ensure safety
• Some concerns about how this alternative may limit future infrastructure planning or transit expansion
• Area residents are concerned about how the increased bicycle/pedestrian traffic will impact an already congested area or decrease neighborhood quality (e.g. noise pollution)
• Feared lack of need/demand, especially for the cost

Multimodal Perry Street and Syene Road Connection:

• Those in support feel it would be a more attractive option for all roadway users and could integrate better with future planning
• Concerns about increased traffic and its impact on congestion, traffic violations, crashes, and pedestrian safety
• Many respondents feel there are already valuable options for vehicles in the area, and a similar nearby connection already exists at Fish Hatchery Road.
• Opposition to encouraging more vehicles use and prefer bicycle/pedestrian only option (or bicycle, pedestrian, and transit only option)

Additional Concept Developed for Future Study

Following the public comment period, community feedback highlighted a desire for additional Perry Street connections. Staff explored additional opportunities to further enhance connectivity.  These alternatives will be present in the study report along with the multi-modal and pedestrian bridge alternatives for consideration.

Multimodal Rotary Intersection

This concept focuses on travel through the Beltline interchange at Park Street and US 14, at the east side of the Perry Street project area. It explores redesigning the interchange to improve local street and multimodal connections on either side of the freeway. It aims to improve local access through the Perry Street study area, adding surface street connectivity and providing separated facilities across the freeway for bicycles and pedestrians. 

Though not connecting Perry Street itself, the Park Street interchange concept may adequately improve the transportation issues identified in the project purpose and need without creating additional environmental impacts or requiring significant real estate acquisition.

Important notes about the concept above:

• The additional concept has not been vetted for feasibility from a geometric or operational standpoint.
• WisDOT was not involved in the development/evaluation of the concept. This would need to occur prior to anything moving forward.
• WisDOT does not currently have any plans for large-scale improvements at the Park Street interchange. WisDOT's Beltline PEL Study recommends studying this area of the Beltline corridor in the early 2030's.

Purpose of Developing Alternatives

Public meetings and the development of preferred designs for the Perry Street connection ensure the community's vision is established, laying the necessary groundwork for future infrastructure. These designs position the City for funding while we wait for WisDOT to finalize its broader Beltline PEL Study and make regional determinations.