Brady Street Will Test Traffic Calming Measures

Pedestrians cross Brady Street at N. Arlington Place in April 2024. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

A number of new traffic calming measures are coming to E. Brady Street as the city continues to grapple with pedestrian and vehicle safety along this East Side corridor.

Starting in December, the traffic lights at the intersection of N. Humboldt Avenue and E. Brady Street will blink red in all four directions for at least 30 days.

The change, effectively creating stop signs, will prevent motorists from continuing unimpeded for at least a half mile when they encounter a green light. According to the Brady Street Business Improvement District, the goals are to reduce speeding, decrease red-light violations and increase comfort and safety for pedestrians. The Department of Public Works (DPW) will monitor congestion, compliance and community feedback.

In partnership with DPW, permanent improvements may be installed. Changes under consideration include raised crosswalks, speed tables and pinned-on curb bump-outs.

“Brady Street is one of Milwaukee’s most vibrant and walkable districts,” said Michael D. Sander, executive director of the Brady Street BID, in a statement announcing the plan. “These safety improvements will help ensure that everyone—neighbors, customers, and employees—can enjoy the street comfortably and confidently.”

The city and BID have pursued interventions since 2023, after a series of drivers hit pedestrians, drawing public attention to safety concerns.

The focus is on the six-block stretch between N. Cass Street and N. Warren Avenue. The eastern end of that area has the highest concentration of bars and restaurants and was once targeted for temporary pedestrianization. The BID board ultimately has not pursued the pedestrianization plan, and the BID director left. Area Alderman Jonathan Brostoff, in an unpublished interview with Urban Milwaukee conducted weeks before his death in 2024, continued to advocate for the concept. Brostoff said he was working on finding a funding source.

The latest proposal comes after a July high-speed chase ended with a fleeing motorist crashing into another vehicle and killing a passenger. The driver, estimated to be traveling 62 mph, was charged with five felonies.

The potential interventions are ones the city has had success with in other areas.

Speed tables are similar to raised crosswalks but are not installed at pedestrian crossings. The concrete installations have become an increasingly popular intervention, especially near schools. The intervention is less steep than a speed hump, allowing motorists to maintain speeds closer to the speed limit. Speed tables were added in recent years on N. Prospect Avenue and N. Holton Street, which bookend Brady Street. Data indicate the intervention results in a substantial reduction in speeding.

Pinned-on curb bump-outs are concrete installations in the parking lane that block dangerous passing, encourage motorists to slow down by narrowing the roadway and shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians, making them less vulnerable. The pinned-on bump-outs are installed on dowels atop the existing roadway surface, a lower-cost and potentially removable installation method. A series of more extensive sidewalk bump-outs was added after a 2004 pedestrian-vehicle collision killed Mary Glorioso.

“These upgrades are intended to slow vehicle speeds and make crossings more accessible and comfortable for people walking. The Brady Street BID will work closely with DPW to review alternatives, gather community input, and finalize a preferred design. Construction is targeted for late 2026,” the press release said.

DPW has already launched an Engage MKE webpage to solicit feedback and provide project updates.