MILWAUKEE — Street closures are in effect in downtown Milwaukee in advance of President Joe Biden's visit Tuesday.
Wells Street is closed to street traffic between Plankinton Avenue and Water Street. The city's public works department says these closures will stay in place until 12 a.m. Wednesday.
Wells Street is still open to pedestrian traffic.
As early as Friday night, trucks could be seen parked in front of the Pabst Theater, where CNN will host a town hall with the President.
This is the President's first trip since taking office.
Across the street from the Pabst is the restaurant China Gourmet. Owner Robert Tsao said he wasn't sure how the street closure would impact his customers.
He said he relies mostly on takeout and has to remind delivery drivers to pick up the orders at his back alley. He said he does plan to be open for business Tuesday night.
Tsao says his restaurant has been on Wells Street since 2007. He has relied on theater district traffic, so the pandemic has been especially difficult.
At last check the Pabst is expecting to host 50 to 75 people for the town hall event. It is invite-only.
"It's a great opportunity to show the city the things we have in our city, and we're proud of them," said the CEO of the Pabst Theater Group Gary Witt last week.
The town hall event will take place at 8 p.m. central time, according to CNN.
The event was originally slated for 7 p.m. central time, which is the same time as Gov. Tony Evers is scheduled to present his budget address.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin pointed that out in a statement its executive director released last week.
"It is telling that President Biden has decided to counter-program a governor from his own party," WisGOP Executive Director Mark Jefferson said. "Either the White House isn’t communicating with Democrat governors, or the Democrats realized that it is in Gov. Evers’ best interest for no one to watch him unveil this budget.“
