Trestle Park is a public park located in the Third Ward neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. It is situated on the Milwaukee River near the site of the former Chicago & Northwestern Railway trestle bridge. Most of the property had previously been occupied by a railroad right of way, including an iron trestle structure that jutted out 100’ into the river to connect to a railway swing bridge.  With the rail line long-abandoned, the trestle was in dilapidated condition. The City of Milwaukee purchased the rail ROW and the trestle with the intention of completing the last section of the downtown riverwalk and developing a small park to serve a growing residential neighborhood nearby.

The historic railway trestle was stabilized and repurposed as a new pedestrian deck protruding 100 feet out into the river to create a viewing platform from which the water, the swing bridge, and other industrial ruins can be seen from a new and striking perspective. Creosote-treated railway ties were removed both at grade and on the trestle structure to eliminate the toxic material from human contact, and a new timber structure and ipe wood deck were installed on top of the historic black iron trestle. This new deck was recessed from the perimeter, allowing the historic iron supports to be clearly visible below.

New tensioned cable rails were also installed, along with architect-designed ipe wood benches and planters. These elements were arranged in two long, linear rows to evoke the twin tracks that had once crossed the trestle. The linear shape of the new trestle deck was extended eastward toward Erie Street, gradually transforming the wooden deck into concrete paving as it nears the street. Historic railway traffic lights that had to be removed from the street were relamped and relocated onto the linear plaza, creating a gateway into the park that recalled the history of the site. Two elevated ipe deck walkways were installed parallel to the river, connecting the existing riverwalks to the new trestle deck. The longest of these two elevated walks passes over an extensive lower green landscape that slopes down to the river. Research revealed four species of trees that existed near this site before the time of European settlement, and these trees were included in the primary planting list for a small park that features native grasses, gravel walks, benches, and low, indirect bollard lighting. The historic swing bridge was not purchased by the client and remains a compelling industrial artifact in the river.

The conversion of  a historic railway trestle into a striking pedestrian deck which offers a unique and breathtaking perspective of the city’s industrial past represents the different project types architects are assuming leadership roles in, which were traditionally the domain of landscape architects, urban planners, or civil engineers. Overall, Trestle Park is a popular destination for both locals and visitors to Milwaukee, offering a unique and picturesque urban green space in the heart of the city’s historic Third Ward neighborhood.