MILWAUKEE — For the past year, TMJ4 News has been reporting on the efforts to slow drivers down along Prospect Avenue on Milwaukee's East Side. Last Summer, the speed limit was lowered from 30 MPH to 25 MPH. However, it appears that wasn't enough and now city leaders have proposed a project that could literally force drivers to slow their pace.
TMJ4's Lighthouse team is dedicated to shining the light on important issues and finding solutions. Lighthouse Journalist Ryan Jenkins asked city leaders and neighbors about traffic calming measures that will be voted on Tuesday that would change the design of Prospect Avenue to get drivers to slow down.
"You do notice a lot of, not only speeding, but you can kind of see them go lane to lane or running through the lights or speeding up to (the crosswalks)," said Jim Brusnahan, a pedestrian near Prospect and Brady Street who supports the proposed changes. " If I'm walking with my little girl, I have to be careful and kind of watch what the cars are doing. You get a little nervous."
On any given day, you'll find lots of people walking, biking, and driving along the busy stretch of Prospect Avenue.
"It's reckless driving too, it's passing when they shouldn't, its running lights, it's everything you can imagine," said Rick Smith, another pedestrian in the area.
Those pedestrian experiences are why city leaders have proposed a project to raise four crosswalks at four intersections along Prospect Avenue and to add 20 bump-outs to the stretch of road between Ogden Avenue and North Avenue.
The raised crosswalks would be at Albion Street, Royall Place, Windsor Place, and Kenilworth Pl.
They say the project is in response to 272 crashes on this avenue in the past 5 years, including one that was deadly and at least three that were considered severe crashes.
TMJ4's Ryan Jenkins: "I know the speed limit was lowered already last summer. Are residents telling you that's not enough?"
Milwaukee Alderman Jonathan Brostoff: "The speed limits sometimes have an effect but generally speaking it's very nominal compared to built environment changes where you're basically taking away the opportunity for a reckless driver to behave that way because they'll mess their car up if they do so. So it's kind of less of a suggestion to drive safer and more of a forceful addition to the road that will lead to better outcomes."
The council is set to vote on Tuesday, June 11, on whether to adopt the project. Ahead of that vote, we asked people who walk and bike in the area if they support the idea.
"I think it would be a lovely idea. I think it would rally make it a lot safer for me on a bicycle particularly," said Bicyclist Avery Aten.
"I think that would probably be a good idea because you do have to be mindful when crossing the street because just depending on who's coming through, they don't slow down," said Bruce Turner, who was walking with his family, including a baby in a stroller.
The proposed changes are ones that many in the community feel are worth a shot in a part of the city that they say is plagued by speeding and reckless drivers.
"I think that's the best they can come up with," said pedestrian Rick Smith. "It remains to be seen if it can work. I think it's worth trying because people are nuts."
"People are really going fast," his wife, Jody Smith, added.
If the council votes to approve this project, the Department of Public Works says they anticipate being able to start construction later this year.
Email your story ideas to Ryan.Jenkins@TMJ4.com
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