Ashwaubenon committee tweaks bike-and-ped plan, removes confusing railroad-bridge line and forwards revisions to village board

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — The Ashwaubenon Bike and Pedestrian Committee on Jan. 12 reviewed final edits to its draft Bike & Ped comprehensive plan, agreed on map clarifications for sidewalks and pedestrian facilities, and voted to forward the revised document to the village board.

Devin, a staff presenter, told the committee the packet reflected minor wording and mapping changes from the last meeting and that most edits were non-substantive. "I made the changes, the items that we talked about at the last meeting," Devin said, noting remaining map work that staff would complete before the board packet is finalized.

Members spent the bulk of the meeting checking map accuracy and intent. Several participants flagged streets and neighborhoods shown inconsistently between maps — examples included Sand Acres and Highland Ridge, and a short sidewalk link shown near Bridal Road intended to serve hotel guests traveling to the nearby Bellin Surgical Center. Staff agreed to standardize classification between "sidewalk" and "trail" symbols and to apply the corrections across all map pages.

A contentious line in the packet — a third bullet on packet page 72 that began "encourage the conversion of abandoned railroad bridges over the Fox River" — drew sustained discussion. Committee members noted the structure cited is not abandoned and is used by the National Railroad Museum, which would make local conversion infeasible without Green Bay's participation. To reduce confusion about local responsibilities, the committee voted to remove that specific bullet and to replace it with broader language supporting interjurisdictional connectivity where appropriate. The motion to eliminate the railroad-bridge bullet passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Members emphasized that deleting the sentence did not mean the committee opposes improved connections across the Fox River. "We're just supporting the interconnectivity," one member said during the discussion, and members agreed to clarify the plan's wording so it expresses support for regional coordination rather than implying the village must convert museum-owned infrastructure.

The committee also discussed how maps should convey whether sidewalks shown are a firm commitment or items for future consideration. Staff recommended using the functional-class map to mark arterials and collectors that will be evaluated for pedestrian accommodations and using dotted lines or a separate color to indicate "to be considered" segments. Staff explained how project scope is finalized during the design process and noted that specific installations generally proceed only after neighborhood outreach and a board decision in project design phases (typically around 30% design).

Committee members asked staff to produce a single, clearer map that distinguishes committed projects from possibilities and to add concise verbiage on the map that explains the decision process. Staff committed to coordinating the functional-class map with the capital improvement plan and to returning an updated packet in time for the village board deadline.

Before adjourning the meeting, the committee voted to recommend the changes discussed and forward the revised plan to the village board for consideration at the scheduled meeting. The committee chair thanked staff and members and closed the session.

What’s next: Staff will incorporate the agreed map and verbiage changes, finalize packet materials, and submit the plan to the village board for its review and possible adoption.