New Milwaukee Speed Bumps Are Being Implemented to Stop Reckless Driving

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Milwaukee has made efforts to implement new speed bumps throughout the city with the intention of reducing reckless driving.  

Mayor Cavalier Johnson has implemented a Vision Zero plan, with the goal of zero traffic fatalities in Milwaukee. 

The intention is to produce safe roadways to help keep traffic calm and under control.  

The Milwaukee Department of Public Works have hired contractors to install new speed bumps throughout specific areas and neighborhoods.  

In 2021, 65 individuals were killed due to reckless driving in Milwaukee, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.

Milwaukee has been working towards installing 68 new speed bumps a month, a project they have been working on since the start of September.  

The 68 speed bumps a month is a massive increase compared to the 100 speed bumps that were installed annually in Milwaukee before 2022.  

Roughly 300 new speed bumps are planned to be built from September to December, costing around $1 million when the project is completed, which will be paid with money from the federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds. 

“Speed bumps in themselves can seem annoying,” said Kailey Schoenherr, Milwaukee resident. “But I think they have the potential to make people be more mindful while driving, or at least slow down.”  

These speed bumps will be built city-wide throughout Milwaukee, ranging from N 14th St. to N 75th St, located throughout different residential areas.  

Each speed bump on average costs $7,500 for design, construction and oversite, which was explained by Holly Rutenbeck, city project engineer for Milwaukee.

“The locations for the speed humps are based on property owners that returned speed bump applications and petitions to the Department of Public Works,” said Rutenbeck. “The Seventh Aldermanic District currently has the most speed bumps based on the number of request and support to reduce reckless driving in their community.” 

Speed bumps being present effectively reduce the risk of children getting injured by a car by 40% , according to a five year case-control study done by the National Library of Medicine.