Do pedestrian deaths in Milwaukee show a pattern?

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — A secure streets advocate used police knowledge to map out pedestrian deaths in Milwaukee in 2021, and he says they present a name to motion.

Jake New child, Assistant Director for the Wisconsin Bike Fed, despatched out a tweet Wednesday, which mapped all 17 on a map of the town. His tweet posed a query, “discover a pattern?”

It does seem that at least 10 of the pedestrian fatalities are both on or close to State Freeway 145, a bit of that highway is also called Fond du Lac Avenue.

“Pedestrian accidents alongside Fond du Lac, Capitol are scorching spots,” New child stated.

New child says all 17 pedestrian deaths are in predominately minority neighborhoods, a pattern that’s additionally taking place nationally. 

“The info jumps out at you whenever you take a look at it even from an extended scale than only one 12 months of purely deadly crashes,” he stated.

Many individuals assume that reckless driving and pedestrian fatalities are linked, so we questioned if police might resolve the issue, however New child says it isn’t that easy.

“They’ve (Milwaukee police) wrote tens of hundreds of tickets throughout the previous 12 months or so. I do not know the quantity offhand, however the numbers aren’t happening,” he stated.

New child says a coordinated effort from WisDOT, the town of Milwaukee, and legislation enforcement will be wanted to make the streets secure to stroll.

We reached out to Milwaukee’s Division of Public Works. We weren’t capable of arrange an interview earlier than the story aired, however spokesperson Brian DeNeve despatched us this reply:

“We’re conscious of points on Fond du Lac Avenue because the overwhelming majority of the roadway south of Hampton is included within the Pedestrian Excessive Harm Community outlined within the Metropolis’s pedestrian plan. The info is collected by MPD and launched by WisDOT so we defer to them on specifics although.

Keep in mind FDL is State Trunk Freeway 145, which means any adjustments usually require state approval. We proceed conversations with WisDOT on enhancements together with growing plans to take away the third lane of site visitors and set up bump outs between Hoyt and Glendale.

Our contribution is a component of a multifaceted strategy underneath Mayor Johnson’s S.T.A.N.D. for Safer Streets initiative.”

Michael Pyritz with WisDOT additionally acknowledged that they are going to be partnering with the town on “Full Streets” initiatives.