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Ozaukee Interurban Trail

Once a route that linked Ozaukee County with the cities of Milwaukee and Sheboygan in the early 1900s, the Interurban railway has been transformed into an extensive recreation trail system and a popular leisure destination. Today, the approximately 30-mile asphalt-paved, multi-use Trail stretches across the entire county, connecting the communities of Mequon, Thiensville, Cedarburg, Grafton, Port Washington and Belgium.

“The planning for the countywide Ozaukee Interurban Trail started in earnest in 1998 when Ozaukee County and several communities applied for funding through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation,” explains Andrew Struck, Chairman of the Ozaukee Interurban Trail Advisory Council—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in order to promote and maintain the Ozaukee Interurban Trail. “Funding was awarded in 1999 and Ozaukee County became the lead agent and coordinator for the countywide Ozaukee Interurban Trail project.”

After several years of planning and design, construction on the large-scale Trail began in late 2001, with the majority completed by September 2002. While the anniversary of the Ozaukee Interurban Trail is dated in September 2002, the Trail did not see total completion until August 2003.

Free to the public, the Ozaukee Interurban Trail is a year-round, family-friendly off-road recreational trail that invites visitors to take advantage of opportunities to bike, in-line skate, walk, run and cross-country ski, all while enjoying the natural landscapes of this Wisconsin region. Cedar Creek, the Milwaukee River, Lake Michigan, and plenty of woodlands and wetlands compose the backdrop along the Ozaukee Interurban Trail—an area that is also great for wildlife viewing and bird watching, as it is a designated “Great Wisconsin Birding Trail.” The Ozaukee Interurban Trail Advisory Council recently funded and produced the Trailside Birding Guide for birding opportunities along the Trail. Also, in conjunction with the Ozaukee County Tourism Council, the Trail Advisory Council provides free Trail Maps.

Many distinct bridges and crossings in local communities are incorporated along the Trail, notably the bicycle/ pedestrian-exclusive Interurban Bridges over Cedar Creek in downtown Cedarburg and the Milwaukee River in Grafton. The Interurban Bridge in Cedarburg stands as the original structure utilized by the historic Interurban Electric Railway cars, while the bridge in Grafton is a replica (though still using the historic piers along the same alignment).

“The Trail is very unique in that it passes through the downtowns of several communities and also hosts extensive rural areas,” notes Struck. “This provides a very unique mix of opportunities from shopping in downtown Cedarburg to wine tasting in Grafton to dining in Mequon-Thiensville and Port Washington to wildlife viewing at many points on the Trail.”

Trail Improvement Project

The Trail Improvement Project includes the replacement of approximately two miles of on-road travel located along the busy County Trunk Highway W, as well as the construction of an additional 1.3 miles of paved off-road trail. “It is a significant safety, transportation, and aesthetic improvement for the Trail,” says Struck. “With its completion, approximately 90 percent of the Ozaukee Interurban Trail will be an on- and off-road multi-use trail, as opposed to on-street designated travel.”

Completion of the Trail Improvement Project is slated for September 2009. According to Struck, the Trail Advisory Council continues to explore new opportunities for improvement along the Trail.

“There are many significant benefits to having such a well-known regional trail in Ozaukee County,” says Struck. “It acts as a ‘green’ alternative to providing linkages to several downtown areas; it acts as a recreation trail; it provides for healthy living; it is a wonderful tourism draw and destination; and it is a great educational resource to learn about commuting, safe bike riding, natural resources, cultural resources, and historic resources.

The trail also assists economic development because it is a significant quality of life issue for many employers and employees relocating or living in the area,” continued Struck. “We have seen many examples of this impact and are starting a study of the economic impact of the trail on the local economy.”

The Ozaukee Interurban Trail can be accessed at any point along the Trail, with parking available at the Park & Ride Lot at Exit 100 on I-43. More information can be accessed by visiting www.interurbantrail.us.