The city of Milwaukee says speeding and reckless driving have hit a ‘crisis’ level in recent years, as deaths caused by car crashes have skyrocketed, from a low of 32 in 2013 to 80 in 2023.
58% of the crashes that kill or seriously injure people in Milwaukee happen on just 10% of the city’s streets. The city has labeled this the High Injury Network.
27th Street and Capitol Drive are both listed on the city’s High Injury Network .
Standing near the intersection where they meet, it took TMJ4’s Lighthouse team less than 15 minutes to spot drivers breaking the 30mph speed limit, using a speed gun.
On 27th between Highland and Wisconsin, most drivers were moving slower. Here, plastic posts and concrete planters dot the street corners — installed by the city of Milwaukee and Near West Side Partners .
“It’s a beautification as well as a deterrent towards speeding,” remarked Anna Lampkins, who has lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years and is tired of dangerous drivers. “People are taking too many risks that could change people’s lives, whether it’s through injuries or death, it’s just very traumatic,” she said.