DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — A new pedestrian underpass is now open to the public giving people a safer way to cross beneath the highway.
The Bayview Bridge Underpass Trail runs directly under the bridge, offering an easier and safer route for walkers and bikers.
"This is perfect, so now no one has to cross the highway," Terry McGuire, a neighbor said.
McGuire says she walks the Ahnapee Trail often and before the underpass was built, getting across the highway was anything but easy.
"The traffic is quite busy all year now." She said. "I just saw a man trying to cross it, so this is a lot safer."
The Bayview Bridge Underpass Trail was approved in March, costing just over $319,000, and officially opened the week of September 22.
"It's such a smart addition, safety-wise especially to get to the other side of the bridge. And it was so well built," Tom Semrau, a part-time resident said.
Semrau says that before the trail opened, crossing the highway felt more like a gamble than a walk.
"Of course, you have to wait until traffic slows down a little bit or you don't see as much. Then you really have to scoot across and sometimes, you only have time to make it to the middle," Semrau said.
Both neighbors say that with traffic getting busier year-round, the new trail couldn’t have come at a better time.
Part of the trail crosses private property, and signs are posted asking people to be mindful and respectful while passing through.
