MILWAUKEE — A new kind of library will soon be available to people living in Milwaukee, and the goal is to make our streets safer.
Thanks to an AARP grant, Milwaukee's Department of Public Works (DPW) now has $12,000 to create a traffic-calming lending library.
"We're going to have cones, we're going to have something called looper tubes — which are a little bit like skinny construction barrels," said Kate Riordan as she explained the type of materials that would be available for checkout.
Essentially, it will be a collection of temporary tools that can be placed in the street and mimic what a traffic circle or curb extension would look like in your neighborhood. From there, you can request permanent changes.
"We have this program called our Neighborhood Traffic Management Program which a lot of people use to request speed humps on their street," added Riordan, "But it can be used to do other things."
The Wisconsin Bike Federation is partnering with DPW to roll out the library of temporary traffic calming tools and help people explore options beyond speed humps.
"And what we're hoping," explained Marybeth McGinnis with MilWALKee Walks and the Wisconsin Bike Federation, "Is that they (the temporary tools) work as we hope they do, and two, that residents can say 'Oh! Actually, this would be worth the small amount of money on my assessment.'"
While the assumption is that residential streets will utilize the lending library most often, the materials can also be used on busier streets.
Before the end of the year, three locations will be selected to use the library materials as a test run — the Amani Neighborhood will be one of them.
Riordan says as it stands, the process of renting the tools is designed to be quick, "They're not bolted down. So the idea right now is just to keep them out for a couple of hours."
The long-term plan is to create a sustainable version of this lending library so community organizations, business improvement districts, or really anyone in Milwaukee, can check out materials and experiment with traffic-calming designs.
DPW says its staff, and Bike Fed staff, will largely be responsible for placing rented materials in the street, and protocols as well as an application process will be worked out during the trial period.
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