MILWAUKEE — Campers and tents have filled the Holt Avenue and College Avenue Park and Rides. It's something the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) is trying to end.
On April 15th, the DOT gave this notice out to the people who call the park and rides home.
Dear Temporary Occupant, The property you are occupying is a state-owned highway dedicated to traveling motorists for short term parking only. You are hereby given notice to move off the Wisconsin Department of Transportation highway right of way per Wisconsin State Statute 86.025 which provides that camping on highways is unlawful. You have until May 16th, 2024 to gather and remove your property including but not limited to tents, campers, recreational vehicles, and trailers. Unclaimed property will be processed in accordance with Wisconsin State Statute 171.06 or applicable local ordinances.
On or after May 13th, 2024, law enforcement agencies will place orange courtesy tags on vehicles that are violating park and ride rules or reasonably appear to be used for camping on the highway, including park and ride lots. You have until May 16th, 2024 to remove your vehicle or it may be towed. Shelter and homeless services are available through the homeless outreach teams in the Milwaukee area. We support the work that they do and strongly encourage you to engage with these service providers to access indoor placements.
"I don't like being a burden to anybody, but at this point, I'm where I'm at,” Jeffrey Parker said.
A burden is what Parker has felt like for about three weeks now. He sleeps at the Holt Avenue Park and Ride at night. He said he once thought it was strange people lived at the Park and Ride.
"I was driving by at times and saying similar things ya know, months before. Just surprised that all these vehicles were here,” Parker explained.
Like many others in the parking lot, Parker is down on his luck with nowhere to turn.
TMJ4’s Megan Lee asked Parker if he wanted to live at the park and ride. He said, “No, I am hoping to get something where I can get set back up and work towards more of a common existence I guess."
DOT said forty-five people who once called the park and rides home have been helped with shelter. Which is twenty more people who have been helped since Lee last reported on this park-and-ride situation in early December.
Parker said he is on the list to get a housing plan from the county. "I talked to him and he said he would get us filled out or get us in touch with whoever would be next. And hopefully we'll be able to get something."
Lee reached out to the Milwaukee County Housing Outreach Services Department. They said they will have time available to find housing and indoor placements for everyone at the park and ride.
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