$25 million federal investment awarded to transform Milwaukee's Center Street

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The federal government is making investments to improve the safety of our roads. The U.S. Department of Transportation is putting a billion dollars towards the effort and the City of Milwaukee will receive $25 million to improve a stretch of the north side.

The investment will go towards a big improvement project for Milwaukee's Center Street. The transformation will focus on a two-mile stretch of Center from Sherman Boulevard to Teutonia Avenue.

"The new Center Street will feature proven design strategies that reduce the risk of crashes, deaths, as well as serious injuries," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson during the announcement Friday morning, Sept. 13. 

Officials say traffic crash data and community input led to the decision to focus on this area.

"This stretch of Center Street has wide travel lanes, narrow unprotected bike lanes, underutilized parking lanes, which many drivers use to pass on the right. Crosswalks are often unmarked...," said Jerrel Kruschke, Milwaukee DPW Commissioner.

Leaders with Metcalfe Park Community bridges say the improvements are overdue and say they're excited the investment is being made.

Danell Cross, Executive Director with Metcalfe Park Community Bridges spoke to CBS 58 about the changes ahead. "What's different about this plan is that residents have been engaged have been engaged from the very beginning of the process, even before the application went in," she said.

Community engagement will be part of the design planning process as the project aims to make center street more desirable for investments, housing development, and reduce residential and business vacancies.

"We know that we want to be able to send kids – not take kids or drive kids to their neighborhood park but them being able to walk to it safely, so this is going to help us to create that safe environment," said Cross. The total budget for the project is $31 million with $6 million coming from the city and 80% from the federal grant.

Everything is still in the early stages right now, according to city officials. Design planning still needs to happen and the city has to secure the proper contracts and funding from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.

"Design will start in 2025. We'll probably go all the way into 2025-26 so this project's probably 2027-28 when you actually see construction impact," Commissioner Kruschke said.