Milwaukee County’s Oak Leaf Trail Coordinated Way-finding Signage Project
Since 2017, the Chris Kegel Foundation has worked with Milwaukee County Parks, and the Wisconsin Bike Fed to create signage to help users navigate the 125 miles of Milwaukee’s Oak Leaf Trail.
New in 2021, we are working with the Parks Department and Metro Mountain Bikers to improve signage on our soft hiking and biking paths in the county too! Stay Tuned!
Chris Kegel Foundation’s Role
Catalyst, visioning and facilitator
Funded system planning
Funded 32 signage locations to date.
“My father worked for decades to improve the Oak Leaf experience. Better signage was his ultimate dream.”
Historic Oak Leaf Trail signage
The Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin was conceived in 1939 by bicycle advocate Harold "Zip" Morgan. The system now stands at over 125 miles of paved trails and on-road connections.
Despite serving as a cherished recreational option for many and a daily bicycle commuting route for thousands, the world-class Oak Leaf trail stands as a hidden gem. Other than small though charming directional signs, the trail has no signage that communicates the scale of the system or the connection to destinations. Infrequent users and tourists are particularly hamstrung finding themselves unaware of where the trail can take them.
Working in tight collaboration with the Milwaukee County Parks Department, the Chris Kegel Foundation has spearheaded an effort to bring world-class signage to a world-class trail system. Inspired by renown transit systems, the team re-envisioned the system with distinct lines, links and destinations.
