MILWAUKEE – For the second time in three months, President Joe Biden makes his way to Milwaukee.
The Commander In Chief will deliver remarks at the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club on 6th and Cherry Streets, which sits on a stretch of city roads that will soon get a makeover courtesy of a federal grant.
The President and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Tuesday 39,560,000 million dollars for the state of Wisconsin for projects through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot and Neighborhood Access and Equity discretionary grant programs, over 38 million of which will be used for redeveloping two Milwaukee roads: 6th Street between National and North Avenues as well as the National Avenue Interchange in the Walker’s Point neighborhood. White House Press Secretary Karien Jean-Pierre tells WTMJ the grant can be reapplied for in the future, opening the door to other grant opportunities for the city’s laundry list of community projects.
“The construction of I-94/I-43 in the 1960’s not only tore through the heart of many of Milwaukee’s diverse communities, but also spurred the expansion of adjacent streets to accommodate access ramps and their associated traffic” says Jean-Pierre. “A transformed 6th Street will include safe, dedicated infrastructure for walking, biking, and transit as well as green infrastructure that will provide much-needed tree canopy and green space while easing the load on the City’s combined sewer system.”
The President is expected to land in Air Force One at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport this afternoon around 3:00pm. There will be freeway closures associated with the president’s arrival head of his speech at the Boys & Girls Club around 4:00 before heading to an un-related campaign event in the city around 4:50.
Additionally, while the White House has not confirmed the information, several barricades and no-parking signs around the Pfister appear to indicate that the President will spend the night at the historic downtown Milwaukee hotel. It would be the first time a sitting President has stayed overnight in Milwaukee since 2018.
WTMJ’s Julia Fello will be at the President’s speech this afternoon; listen to Newsradio 620 WTMJ for complete coverage of the President’s visit.
