With thousands of people expected to walk, bike and drive around the proposed Titletown District, public and pedestrian safety is a focus of the planning.
"That is a huge pedestrian venue," said Peter Flucke, President of We Bike, etc. and a former member of the Ashwaubenon Bike and Pedestrian Committee. "There are going to be people that are going to walk and bike there that live close enough to do that, but even the people that drive from as far away as they come, once they get here, they're going to park their car."
"They won't be going to all the different venues within the district and within the village by driving."
On Tuesday night, the Ashwaubenon Village Board didn't just give preliminary approval to phase one of the Titletown District plans. It also approved making the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee a standing committee, versus its previous status of advisory committee.
While committee Chair LeRoy Vogt says they haven't had a major part in the discussion of the Titletown District plans yet, he is expecting the committee to help more as plans continue to develop.
"What we are going to try and do is find safe routes, that's what we're there for," Vogt said.
With so much activity around the Titletown District, especially on game days, the plans include a crosswalk across Ridge Road from the District to Lambeau Field. This would include flashing lights and pedestrian signs to warn drivers.
The Packers are also conducting a study for a potential pedestrian tunnel that would help people cross the streets safely in and out of the District.
"This is not a regular tunnel like you would think of burrowing down into the ground, so it would be a little raised, very wide with skylights," said Ashwaubenon Village President Mike Aubinger.
The results from that study will not be released until mid-March, so the tunnel was not included in phase one of the Titletown District plans. The Village Board will vote on final approval of the Titletown District plans on March 8th.
