City of Milwaukee Scores a Major Win with $4.4 Million Traffic Safety Grant
Federal monies will pay for additional projects along corridors citywide
The City of Milwaukee has been awarded $4.4 million from the federal government to improve traffic safety. The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation totals $5.5 million ($4.4 million Federal, $1.1 million City) and will increase the number of traffic calming projects we build citywide. Milwaukee was one of only 37 recipients awarded this competitive implementation grant.
“Safe streets are vital to our quality of life. This federal resource will lead to greater safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, scooter riders and stroller pushers throughout these neighborhoods,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.
The City of Milwaukee application titled “Accessible Intersections for All” identified five major streets for improvement.
• Capitol Drive, from Roosevelt to 15th
• Atkinson Avenue, from Capitol to MLK
• Cesar Chavez Drive and 16th Street, from Pierce to Forest Home
• Greenfield Avenue, from Cesar Chavez to 6th
• Forest Home Avenue, from 16th to Lincoln
“All of these locations are within the city’s pedestrian high injury network. This funding is a major step forward as we work toward safer streets for all modes of travel,” Commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke said.
Below is a project summary:
The project will focus on identifying pedestrian improvements at 26 intersections along five of the city’s most dangerous and underserved streets, with a particular focus on bringing those intersections up to ADA compliance according to PROWAG guidelines. This project will prioritize improvements for people with visual and/or audible impairments, ensuring all Milwaukeeans can safely, comfortably, and predictably travel along our streets. These improvements will include:
• Upgrading traffic signal equipment to ensure reliable corridor operations, equipped with the latest safety technology
• Bringing intersections up to ADA standards to address non-compliant pedestrian facilities, including pedestrian ramp upgrades, island installations with cut-throughs, and curb extensions to slow turning vehicle speeds, shorten pedestrian crossings, and increase pedestrian visibility
• Realigning skewed intersections to shorten pedestrian crossing distances
• Closing approaches on intersections with five or more legs to reduce intersection complexity and return awareness to non-motorists
• Applying road diets where appropriate along corridors to reduce high speeds and double-threat crash scenarios
• Installing APS at all project signals to ensure our most vulnerable users can safely locate corners, aligning themselves with the crossing direction, maximize use of the “Walk” time, and safely clear intersections prior to the onset of conflicting green movements.
The project will also include the installation of high visibility pedestrian markings and relocation of stop bars farther away from crosswalks to minimize conflicts with pedestrians. Other low-cost signal and sign improvements may be considered including leading pedestrian indications (LPIs).
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