MILWAUKEE — Drivers in one Milwaukee neighborhood shared their concerns Saturday about the city’s latest traffic calming project after city engineers announced plans to bring in several new roundabouts.
Seven intersections on N. Holton and on N. 51 Street, which city engineers said were hotspots for reckless driving, have been selected for the redesign to slow drivers down.
“I'm holding onto the steering wheel real tight and making sure I pray to the Lord that I make it back home,” said commuter Shirley Dunn.
At the intersection of Holton and Keefe, Dunn told TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin that while safety is a concern in the area, she isn’t convinced the proposed mini-roundabouts are the solution.
Watch: Drivers share concerns about plans for 7 new roundabouts to combat reckless driving:
"Them roundabouts is not gon stop em they gon pass right on past them,” Dunn explained. “The lights are more alert for them and they know them lights. The roundabouts something new."
It’s a feeling another driver in the area, who only wanted to be identified as Michael, shared. Michael told Mohieldin he believed getting rid of the traffic lights would be a mistake.
"A roundabout doesn't have a stop sign on it. Most roundabouts you know you just come on through,” Michael said. “You have to be cautious, but you have these young people out here driving reckless."
He worries the new roundabouts will only serve to inconvenience good drivers.
"There's just too much traffic, service station, Walmart down the street, fire station down the street,” he emphasized. “It's too much traffic on the street to remove the lights."
City Engineers however said traffic volumes were low enough that a small roundabout would suffice and would be cheaper to operate and maintain at the seven intersections chosen.
Area resident Antonio said he’s willing to give the redesign a chance.
"That be nice,” he said. “That might slow down the traffic some."
So far city leaders have agreed to move forward with the design phase, that will cost roughly a half million dollars — of which the city will cover 10 percent.
Before any actual construction plans are solidified, city leaders said they will seek out community feedback on the project.
Should plans progress, construction would begin, at the earliest, in 2026.
Roundabouts would be installed at the intersections of N. Holton with Keefe, Concordia, and Burleigh as well as N. 51st Street with Hadley, Locust, Chambers, and Keefe.
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