As part of an effort to combat reckless driving in Milwaukee, the Department of Public Works began implementing its 2022 traffic safety improvements on Monday.
Over 30 intersections across the city will be affected by the change.
DPW began its “rapid implementation” projects in 2020 with two pilot programs on North 27th Street and South 13th Street. Then in 2021, traffic safety improvements were installed along parts of West North Avenue, West Villard Avenue, and the East Locust Street and North Bremen Street intersection.
“The City of Milwaukee’s ‘rapid implementation’ initiative creates quick, low-cost street improvements to increase the safety and comfort of people walking, biking, and driving,” according to DPW’s website.
“These projects use materials like paint, flexible posts, planters, and other moveable barriers to create street improvements like curb extensions, plazas, and pedestrian islands. These projects are also relatively easy to adjust and can be used to test out new ideas before more permanent concrete changes are constructed.”
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On Monday, DPW began working on traffic safety improvements for 2022. The following locations will be effected in the coming days:
“Safety is the most important consideration on any public improvement, and these rapid implementation projects will increase safety for everyone using our roadways,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in a news release.
“Physical changes to our streets will reduce reckless driving, and that’s good news for residents all across the city.”
Previous rapid implementation projects have successfully reduced excessive speeding and increased the number of drivers who yield to pedestrians, the DPW said.
Construction for the projects will not affect traffic, impact parking, or access for people walking and using public transit, the DPW said.
Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.