Holt Avenue park and ride shuts down, WisDOT says anyone there will be cited for trespassing
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – The Holt Avenue park and ride off I-43/I-94 has shut down, indefinitely.
Fences and barrier walls board the entire area surrounding the park and ride and there is no exit or entry point allowed without an officer escort. People who live at the park and ride have spent all morning gathering their belongings and leaving.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced its plan to close the park and ride last week because of declining safety conditions. WisDOT says first responders have received more than 250 service calls just over the summer. That's a 42% increase compared to summer of 2023.
Some park and ride residents told CBS 58 they received a reminder to leave the lot 48 hours earlier. Some say they plan to leave the city; others say they don’t know what to do next.
“Anybody that’s here after today, after midnight, will be considered trespassing and they will be arrested. So, that’s where we’re at,” said Goose, a resident of the park and ride. Goose only shared his nickname with us. “It is sad. Because I met a lot of cool people. These are good people, these are people. Everyone has their story of why they came here.”
Shawn Kress has lived at the park and ride on and off over the summer. He says he’s not sure where he will call home next. Kress says it’s already been difficult to get in contact with service workers and it will be more difficult now that he will have to leave.
“Woke up, seen the police again and then jumped up and got to work once again. Just started packing and loading and packing and loading and now it's time to gets to going,” said Kress. “It’s like nobody wants to hear you. So, if nobody’s hearing you, I mean you’re frustrated and when you’re frustrated, they want people to leave - but how are we supposed to leave?”
WisDOT also announced the northeast park and ride on College Avenue will shut down indefinitely next Monday. Milwaukee County Housing Services says it will continue to help people find suitable housing.