MILWAUKEE — The City of Milwaukee has 50 new traffic calming projects slated for 2023, according to a new list acquired from the Department of Public Works (DPW).
"We are really ready to hit the ground running and construct a lot of things in '23," City Engineer Kevin Muhs said.
The new schedule of projects comes after completing 26 traffic calming projects in 2022. There are several projects on this year's list that were not completed last year, but there are some major projects coming that could drastically change certain corridors in the city.
Of the 50 projects, Aldermanic Districts 15, 7 and 2 will see the highest number of projects this year.
Muhs points out, these areas were not targeted, but the City's prioritization model helps identify areas of need through three factors; Use, Safety and Equity.
"We did look at areas that see the greatest impact from reckless driving, borne out generally by crash rates in those areas," Muhs said. "We looked at the Pedestrian High Injury Network locations and the socio-economic characteristics of the neighborhoods to determine where we make investments. It's perhaps not a surprise that specific districts ended up with quite a few projects than some others."
Muhs says there is a focus on five major projects in the city. The projects include resurfacing, Highway Safety Improvements (HSIP) and Reconstruction. These projects are generally funded by Federal or State funds because they are more intensive.
"It's exactly what it sounds like," Muhs said. "The biggest projects that involve full reconstructions of larger lengths of roadway or a substantial resurfacing usually on some of the bigger roads in the city."
On W. Hampton Ave. between 60th and 27th Street, there will be a resurfacing project including curb extensions, pinned-on curb concrete bumpouts and bus bulbs for in-lane boarding at several locations.
At N. 76th Street and W. Hampton Ave. the traffic calming measures will include the elimination of right turn slip lanes which should greatly increase safety for pedestrians crossing at the intersection.
"Sometimes people call them pork chops," Muhs said. "It's where you have a small triangle island that pedestrians can go out to and it allows people to make a right turn that's a little bit more protected from the traffic that is moving in the other direction. The downside of it and the reason we're working in many cases to remove them when we can is because it also allows [drivers] to take that turn much faster than they would be able to with a regular right turn lane."
Curb extensions are expected as part of the major project at N. Humboldt Blvd. from North to Keefe to help pedestrians as well.
In Aldermanic District 15th, there are two major projects on W. Vliet Street and W. Walnut Street. From 27th to 12th Street on W. Vliet, the project will eliminate some parking lanes and add curb extensions at several other intersections. On the eight blocks of Walnut Street between 20th and 12th Streets, it will look entirely different than what people may be used to.
"It's going to go to one driving lane in each direction," Muhs said. "We're going to be adding raised protected bike lanes as part of this design. We really think even though it's a short stretch, it will be a great asset for the neighborhood and for the area around it and also a bit of a showpiece for what we'll be able to do in the future."
It's a massive undertaking. Muhs explains the reconstruction here will take the current road down to the soil and rebuild it from there.
According to Wisconsin Community Maps, this stretch of Walnut saw 50 crashes since 2010, injuring 78 people. It's a snapshot of what all of these projects, small and large, hope to improve.
"We're reducing the number of driving lanes so the ability for more dangerous maneuvers and weaving is largely removed," Muhs said. "The intersections are going to be much smaller which does encourage people to make safer turning maneuvers and those sorts of things."
In addition to the major projects, there are roughly two dozen pinned-on concrete bumpouts in various parts of the city, lane reductions, traffic circles and even some specific improvements still yet to be identified, but locations are chosen.
This will likely be the last year the city's American Rescue Plan funds will be able to be used for these types of projects, according to Muhs. There are 15 projects funded by ARPA slated for this year.
