MILWAUKEE – North Water Street in downtown Milwaukee is a busy sector with several high-volume restaurants and bars, as well as the Marcus Performing Arts Center and City Hall. But it also presents dangerous conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, and those who utilize the Milwaukee County Transit System’s buses given the ongoing reckless driving in the city.
That’s why, as part of Milwaukee’s Downtown2040 Plan, a redesign is being considered for the section between Kilbourn Avenue and Pleasant Street.
On average, that section of Water Street sees around 17,817 vehicles a day, and handles the traffic from four different MCTS routes.
“I think there are ways that the street itself can do a better job of supporting everything that’s around it,” City Engineer Kevin Muhs told WTMJ’s The Upswing Thursday. Two of the three proposed redesigns include concrete protected bike lanes, while all of them include some form of separated bus lane and revitalized sidewalks.
Muhs notes the street is on the city’s high injury network; since 2018, there have been 341 crashes resulting in two fatalities on the stretch under consideration for redesign. Crash rates on North Water Street in particular are significantly higher than average compared to similar types of streets. (Note: this data does not include information from 2020)
RELATED: Hit-and-run kills pedestrian on Water Street
The city says preliminary design is 100% locally funded through Tax Incremental Financing (TIF). There has not yet been a funding source identified for the final design and construction.
The next option for public comment and suggestions on the redesign will be held in spring of 2025. From there, the city hopes to finalize a design by the end of the year.
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