GLENDALE, Wis. — A major reconstruction project is coming to curb speeds on one of the deadliest streets in Milwaukee County.
A newly approved plan will bring changes to a 2-mile stretch of Silver Spring Drive by taking the major thoroughfare down to one lane of traffic in both directions.
Sally Lyman considers her front step a front-row seat to scary speeds along Silver Spring Dr.
“I’m always yelling at people, ‘the speed limit’s 30!’” she said. “They do fly by. A lot of them.”
“We’ve actually had people clocked on our cameras that we have at 90 miles an hour, plus,” said Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy.
Mayor Kennedy calls it the most dangerous road in Glendale.
“How would you describe driving conditions on Silver Spring?” TMJ4 reporter Ben Jordan asked.
“Mario Kart,” Mayor Kennedy replied. “People go around you in the right turn lane, the left turn lane, blow through red lights. People will be swerving through cars. It’s basically like a real-life version of Mario Kart.”
The city’s leader says the problem isn’t rush hour, but rather how the street is designed.
“If people are flying down a straight road, they can go basically as fast as they can get away with going,” he said.
Mayor Kennedy says a solution is coming thanks in part to a $4 million federal grant.
The project slated for 2025 will turn two traffic lanes in each direction down to one to make way for designated rapid transit bus lanes in the middle.
"The traffic will continually move, but it won’t be able to move at 60 miles an hour like some people drive down Silver Spring,” Mayor Kennedy said.
Mayor Kennedy says when the project is complete, drivers along Silver Spring will have to stay in one traffic lane from Teutonia Ave. down to the interstate with a protected bike lane right next to them.
“If there’s one bus lane and one car lane with nothing in-between the two, one would think a lot of drivers are going to be using that bus lane or they’re at least going to be passing in that bus lane. What’s there to prevent that from happening?” Jordan asked.
“Buses,” Mayor Kennedy replied. “Buses that are stopped at a bus stop.”
The project isn’t just about removing traffic lanes. Mayor Kennedy says stop lights will be replaced with roundabouts at four or five intersections.
“Right now it’s two lanes of traffic and you have 7 stop lights between Teutonia and the freeway and they’re not necessarily timed,” he said. “If you put roundabouts in, you create obstacles in the middle of the path.”
Sally likes the idea of adding obstacles.
“It’s really scary when you have to cut the grass over here,” she said.
As long as they’re effective at forcing drivers to slow down.
“If it solves their problem then that’s great,” she said. “If it solves the problem.”
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
