City of Milwaukee Awarded $25 Million for Center Street Transformation

The City of Milwaukee has been awarded a $25 million federal grant to fund a complete transformation of a nearly two-mile segment of West Center Street. The Safe Streets and Roads for All Implementation Grant will allow us to reinvest in Center Street and add enhanced pedestrian crossings, protected bike lanes, transit boarding improvements, street trees, and traffic calming measures. The total project budget is $31,250,000, which includes a $6.25 million local match requirement that the City will contribute.

“I am grateful for this investment. To be clear, this is more than just a road project; this grant will significantly improve the neighborhoods along these two miles of Center Street,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. “Pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers will all benefit from the changes along this street.  I appreciate the support from Senator Baldwin and the thoughtful review of our application by the Biden/Harris administration.”

The Center Street Transformation Project will address an almost 2-mle segment of Center Street from Sherman Boulevard to Teutonia Avenue identified as part of the City’s High Injury Network. This project will comprehensively address safety problems on this corridor by incorporating Complete Street interventions that are proven to reduce crash risk such as fully separated bike lanes, bus bulbs, narrower travel lanes, reduced curb radii, curb extensions, leading pedestrian intervals, and raised intersections or crosswalks. These features provide more space and shorter crossings for people walking, while reducing motorist speeds and opportunities for passing illegally on the right. They also improve transit safety and comfort by providing more space for riders to board and alight or wait for buses, and make it more convenient for riders to transfer between routes when crossing streets. Innovative technologies will also be incorporated throughout the project. Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) will be installed at signalized intersections, which will assist people with visual and audible impairments by creating safer and more efficient crossings at signalized intersections along the corridor. This project will also improve lighting with LED luminaires, providing a safer environment at all hours of the day.

“This project will comprehensively address safety problems on this corridor by incorporating Complete Street interventions that are proven to reduce crash risk,” said Department of Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke. “Milwaukee intends to be a model for communities throughout Wisconsin.”

Improving traffic safety on our streets is one of Milwaukee’s top priorities, and the City is working to take quick and comprehensive actions to address the reckless driving crisis. The Safe Streets and Roads for All Implementation Grant will compliment already existing efforts to tackle this issue such as the City’s commitment to zero traffic deaths by 2037, the adoption of a Complete Streets Policy, and the Mayor’s initiative to have 50 miles of protected bike lanes built or underdevelopment by 2026.

Please visit engage.milwaukee.gov/center-street for project information and updates.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.