Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Closing slip lanes for safer street crossings
The Project
Some of Milwaukee’s busiest intersections for pedestrians and transit users feature right-turn slip lanes, which prioritize the quick movement of cars over safe spaces for pedestrians to cross the street. For this project, the City of Milwaukee partnered with LUNA LLC, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, and Near West Side Partners to close two of these right-turn slip lanes at busy intersections and install vibrant murals with the help of two local artists and input from local youth and community members.
The closed slip lanes reduce crossing time for pedestrians and remove potential conflict points with cars for people accessing the bus stops. The murals themselves celebrate the city and neighborhoods they are located within, indicating to people walking and biking that the former slip lanes are now places for people.
- 25% reduction in the maximum speed of turning vehicles
Anything that’s going to make my community safer, I’m invested in. It’s a beautification as well as a deterrent towards speeding
Anna Lampkins, community member
Use the slider to see the transformation
Press
Milwaukee Residents Applaud New Traffic Calming Projects In High Injury Areas (TMJ4, July 1, 2024)
For inspiration and tips for the creation of art on roadways and public places, download the Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide which features successful plaza and roadway art activations around the world, as well as key steps for developing such projects.
