How to prepare for heavy traffic on Milwaukee's lakefront this weekend

It's shaping up to be a bustling few days in Milwaukee this weekend, as a bevy of simultaneous festivals, events and concerts will bring thousands of people into the city.

If you're planning a trip into the city this weekend — particularly to the lakefront — you might want to account for some time sitting in traffic. Here's why lakefront traffic could become an issue this weekend and how you can plan ahead.

Why will traffic be heavy this weekend? Harley Fest, German Fest, Air & Water Show, Riverwest 24

Several large events are slated for this weekend within a three-mile stretch of the lakefront.

German Fest will be in full swing all weekend at Henry Maier Festival Park, while the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show kicks off Saturday and Sunday morning just a few miles down the road near McKinley and Bradford beaches.

The Air & Water show is sharing McKinley Park with Milwaukee Brew Fest, which is from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday. And that's all on top of the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival, which runs from July 25 to 28 and will trigger road closures and parking restrictions throughout downtown.

Several huge lakefront concerts will also likely make for congested roads. Harley Fest will put on live music Friday and Saturday in Veterans Park, with Jelly Roll headlining on Friday and the Red Hot Chili Peppers on Saturday. The concerts will overlap for a few hours with the air show festivities, taking place just north of Veterans Park.

The American Family Insurance Amphitheater on the Summerfest grounds is also putting on two concerts overlapping with German Fest: Carlos Santana and the Counting Crows on Friday, and Alanis Morissette with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts on Sunday.

Finally, Riverwest 24 — a 24-hour bike race through Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood — will run from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday. The route will run alongside the Milwaukee River, a couple miles from the lakefront, with several city streets shut down during the race. From 4 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday, East Hadley Street (from North Pierce Street east to the alley) and North Pierce Street (from East Hadley Street to East Locust Street) will be barricaded.

Where and when can you expect the heaviest traffic?

The stretch of the lakefront from Maier Festival Park to McKinley Beach looks like it'll be the most packed this weekend. You can probably expect heavy traffic on North Lincoln Memorial Drive, which runs along all the festivals and concerts.

However, Harley Fest events will be scattered throughout the city, with weekend events slated for East Brady Street and the Harley-Davidson Museum at 400 W. Canal St. And Riverwest 24 will be running north of downtown, so don't discount traffic disruptions in other parts of the city as well.

Though events are planned from all weekend long, Saturday is shaping up to be the busiest traffic day. The Air & Water Show, Harley Fest concerts, Milwaukee Brew Fest, German Fest and Riverwest 24 will all be in full swing and overlapping at various points that day.

How to plan ahead for traffic

If you're able to, the easiest option this weekend may be to leave your car at home and walk or take public transportation to lakefront events. The Hop, Milwaukee's free streetcar, is running its Festivals Line throughout the summer, with service on all lines to the lakefront.

The Milwaukee County Transit System is also running this weekend, though numerous detours are in place for Harley Fest. Check out the system map at rideMCTS.com to see if your local line stops along the lakefront.

If you must drive, your best bet this weekend may be to park a little further from the lakefront and then walk or take public transportation to your final destination.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Expect heavy traffic along the lakefront in Milwaukee this weekend