3 days ago
South Milwaukee to install public bicycle repair stations complete with tools
South Milwaukee bicycle riders will soon be able to repair their bicycles for free.
That's assuming they can do the repairs themselves, because the city is installing two public bicycle repair stations that come complete with a bicycle stand and tethered tools including screwdrivers, wrenches, and hex tools.
The stations also include a bicycle pump, according to city documents.
South Milwaukee's Common Council approved the installation of these two stations, and one new bicycle rack, with a 5-2 vote on June 3, according to City Administrator Patrick Brever.
Here's what you need to know.
Two bicycle repair stations will be installed. The first will be near the Bucyrus Commons/Crusher statue.
The second will be at the South Milwaukee City Hall, 2424 15th Ave.
If there is a lot of positive feedback and requests for more, the program could be expanded in the future, according to the council's information sheet.
As part of the approval, a bicycle rack will also be installed in front of Bakehouse 23, 1309 Milwaukee Ave., after the owner made a request for it.
The council voted that this project does not exceed a cost of $3,250.
Money for this project is coming from the Bucyrus Foundation fund which is money granted to South Milwaukee from the Bucyrus Foundation focused on funding institutions and infrastructure in the city.
The Village of Bayside added a bicycle repair station in 2024. The council's information sheet notes Bayside staff said the station has been well received and there have been no concerns.
Focus groups, interviews, surveys and events were hosted by health departments in the south shore including the South Milwaukee/St. Francis Health Department in 2022 and 2023. The community was asked how the city could be healthy and thrive, and one response was to add bicycle repair areas, according to city documents.
South Milwaukee first rallied to get Milwaukee County to install the stations in the city during the summer of 2024 through a Community Development Block Grant request. Earlier this year, that request was denied, according to city documents.
The initiative was revisited in May 2025 by the city's Board of Health and then by the council.
City documents said South Milwaukee's application to Milwaukee County for CDBG funding noted the installation of bicycle repair stations will "provide significant benefits to our low-to-moderate income residents, promoting equitable access to transportation, and improving health outcomes.'
South Milwaukee's comprehensive plan uses a bike score to determine how good an area is for biking. It takes into account bicycle lanes, road connectivity, trails, hills and destinations.
South Milwaukee's overall bike score is 46 out of 100 while the downtown area is 56 out of 100, per city documents.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: South Milwaukee will add two public bicycle repair stations
