MILWAUKEE — The speed limit on Prospect Avenue is about to change. Milwaukee's Department of Public Works says you'll see new signs posted within two weeks.
People who live along Prospect, specifically at Saint John's On The Lake, have been some of the loudest voices calling for safety improvements.
Sandra Shaw, one of the residents at Saint John's says she's because of the reckless driving on Prospect Avenue, she's wary of walking in her own neighborhood. "It's dangerous, it's loud, and it's scary," she said. "This has been a concern since we lost one of our residents."
You may remember last fall, TMJ4 News reported that a grandmother and longtime resident of Saint John's was hit and killed while crossing the street.
"I won't cross the street unless I have a light," added Shaw. "I won't cross Prospect."
Shaw was at a neighborhood meeting earlier this year where Milwaukee Police, DPW, and aldermen for the east side listened to safety concerns, following the deadly accident.
Now, changes are in motion.
"I'm glad we have a monitor," said Shaw, "that helps."
She's talking about the digital speed feedback radar that lights up when drivers pass Saint John's.
Capt. Jeffrey Sunn, with the Milwaukee Police Department, says the digital sign went up in May, and MPD officers are focusing on Prospect.
"The Traffic Safety Unit has various areas that they hit throughout the city — whether it's an aldermanic complaint or citizen concern, and so we move them around a lot," he explained. "But Prospect Avenue has been on our deployments."
And more new signs are coming to the street because the speed limit on Prospect is changing from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour.
Kevin Muhs, the city engineer says this was set in motion after the city's common council voted to approve the ordinance change.
"That part has happened, but we can't enforce it until the signs are actually done," he explained.
In the meantime, Muhs says traffic light timing has been adjusted at the intersection of Prospect Ave. and Brady Street.
"We changed some of the signal timing so pedestrians crossing Prospect now have more time where they have a walk signal and no cars have a green light."
Next year, the Department of Public Works anticipates adding traffic-calming infrastructure along Prospect Avenue, like raised crosswalks and concrete bump-outs. Property owners would pay for those additions and first need approval through a public hearing.
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