MILWAUKEE — Plans to improve safety along Oklahoma Ave. between 6th and 27th streets are finalizing.
Plans for the improvement began last year and it's part of a larger plan from the Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW) to address corridors on the High Pedestrian Injury Network.
In the fall, DPW began collaborating with people who live and work near that section of Oklahoma Ave. about improvements they want to see. Esperanza Gutierrez has been one of those community members sharing her input.
Gutierrez said she drives Oklahoma Ave. often, "to go to the grocery store and church and pick up and drop off kids."
Those everyday tasks usually feel dangerous for her.
"Right now we have an issue with people not obeying rules and regulations. It can get hairy waiting for people to make turns and seeing people dashing, trying to catch a bus and stuff like that too," Gutierrez said.
Similar concerns were discussed at a community meeting TMJ4 attended in November when planning was still being done.
For many, just being able to cross Oklahoma Ave. to get to one of the many schools along the corridor, to go to the park, or just to get around the neighborhood and be a challenge in itself.
Now DPW has landed on a final preferred proposal for addressing safety issues on the street.
"Throughout the corridor, you'll see curb bump-outs, you'll see pedestrian refuge islands, we have a few transit islands that we're excited about, and high visibility crosswalks," said DPW Associate Transportation Planner Mary Sizemore.
The proposal also includes narrowing the street from four lanes to two lanes in certain sections and adding protected bike lanes from 6th Street to 22nd Street.
"From there, we direct folks to take the KK River Parkway to connect to more low-stress bike facilities along the Oak Leaf Trail," Sizemore said in regard to the bike lanes.
Jake Newborn with the Wisconsin Bike Fed said he's excited to see the city take steps to improve pedestrian safety.
"Reducing the speeds, reducing the crossing distances is going to be safest for pedestrians. Would we like to see protected bike lanes on every busy street? Yeah. But we have to be realistic sometimes and take the good wins and the good project improvements where we can," Newborn said.
Sizemore said the proposed changes came from four goals identified during community meetings.
"Increasing walkability, decreasing motor vehicle speeds, better-organizing traffic, and creating street bicycle connections," she described.
Gutierrez said she has already seen similar improvements made along 16th Street from a previous project which also narrowed that street.
"My experience with those changes has been very positive. I used to be afraid to open the door with the four lanes because I could feel them hitting my coat and stuff, and now I feel safe opening up the door," Gutierrez said.
Now she's just waiting for construction to begin on Oklahoma so she can feel that same sense of safety.
The project is set to start in the summer of 2024. DPW is still taking feedback on the final preferred proposal. To give your input and to see more detailed versions of the plan, click here.
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