FFNL Receives Permission to Close Streets

Despite city leaders reviewing the street closure ordinance the past few months, Freeman Friday Night Live will be allowed to block off the streets during the weekly music events.

Because Waukesha aldermen did not change the ordinance, the event organizers – the Waukesha Freeman and the Downtown Business Association – are able to move forward with the events. The Freeman Friday Night Live organizers have permission to close the streets from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays from June 1 to Oct. 1, according to the city’s engineering department.

Some downtown stakeholders had tried to change the city's street closure ordinance with some saying the weekly music event was not managed well and that it was too frequent. Thousands come downtown each weekend in the summer for the event. Parking for downtown residents and businesses and portable toilets were also asked for consideration.

The police department began shutting down the streets in 2010 for FFNL after the crowd grew too large to safely contain everyone on the sidewalk.

“The application stated that the streets will only be closed by the police department when crowds exceed the capacity of the sidewalks,” states an email from the city’s engineering department. 

The streets are:

• W. Main St. from N. Barstow St. to Maple Ave.
• Clinton St. from W. Broadway to South St.
• Gaspar St. from W. Main St. to Avalon's parking entrance.
• W. Broadway from the Five Points to the entrance of the Rotunda.