In this review I will give those who are traveling to Bayshore by bike, by bus, or on foot the best directions, maps, and photos. I'll also share my thoughts for how Bayshore can improve on being more friendly to these other modes.
BAYSHORE BY BIKE
Getting to Bayshore Town Center by bicycle is actually quite a breeze from anywhere in Milwaukee that has a good connection with the Oak Leaf Trail.
Best Directions - From the South or East
Once on the trail heading north, stay to the right where the trail branches after the bridge over Capital Drive. Take this segment of the trail to the "end of the line" where it connects with city streets in Whitefish Bay. If you turn left at the end of the Oak Leaf Trail you will find yourself on Santa Monica Blvd. This is a wide Blvd that sees little to no traffic and will take you all the way past Silver Spring Drive where you will turn left after St. Monica's Church onto Lakeview Ave. This street will take you into Bayshore Town Center on its eastern side and is the most pleasant route.
Other routes:
Bayshore is actually quite inaccessible by bike from the north and south on Port Washington and on relatively inaccessible by bike from the west on Silver Spring Drive, the reason for this being mostly attributable to the intersections that make connections with Interstate 43. Silver Spring does have bicycle lanes and makes pleasant connections with nearby neighborhoods but the I-43/Port Washington intersection is a barrier and the bike lanes disappear before your reach Bayshore leaving you in the middle of heavy traffic much of which has just exited the interstate. This route isn't highly recommended, but can be executed safely. There are sidewalks as well, although much of the traffic will not remember to yield in this environment.
Once Inside Bayshore
Once you enter Bayshore, you may be in the heart of downtown Glendale" but you're also on private property. Traffic is slowed to where you can easily navigate the "streets" if you are cautious of cars hunting for prime parking spots. Once you're there you can park the bike and walk to destinations easily. I've never been able to find a bike rack which means I have to lock onto street furniture, parking meters, and musical street lamps.
Trader Joes and Peripheral Stores
Stores on the western end of Bayshore that are not integrated within the faux-urban pattern are more difficult to get to by bike. I must admit that Trader Joes, however inconvenient to get to from the Port Washington Rd side of Bayshore, does have bicycle racks. If this grocery store, which I feel is an anchor, was located in a place with better circulation - it would be better able to serve the community. Currently it is even difficult to access by car!
Recommendations - Bike Racks, Bike Lanes, and more Traffic Calming
The lack of bike parking within Bayshore and the way the bike lanes disappear upon approaching Bayshore from the west make you feel like you don't belong. There is ample consideration for cars, a relatively generous consideration for pedestrians once inside Bayshore, but much less consideration given for those using transit or coming by bike. Additionally, much of these considerations are lost once you leave the facility.
Better connections with the existing community are unlikely to materialize since access to Bayshore is limited to this private development to only a few main thoroughfares used primarily by automobiles. Additional access points for bicycles and pedestrians will help with this problem. Bike lanes should be incorporated on
Silver Spring from the east (see above photo) and from the west to make connections with residential neighborhoods and important commercial centers, including downtown Whitefish Bay. Well marked and signed paths are absolutely essential in the travel lanes under I-43.If Bayshore has bike racks, I don't know where they are. Relocating existing racks or installing simple post racks along Bayshore's private streets would solve this problem and make cyclists feel welcome.
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