'People are fed up': Milwaukee County DOT releases transportation safety report

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A newly released report by Milwaukee County's Department of Transportation takes a look at reckless driving trends all across the county.

The report, which looks at county-wide data from 2018-2022, focuses on several aspects of reckless driving, including "corridors of concern," -- streets where fatal crashes are most likely to happen.

“It’s never just one, you know one more. Each and every crash, whether fatal or not, impacts an entire family," said Jeff Sponcia, a transportation planning manager with Milwaukee County. 

Sponcia has lived in Milwaukee for 36 years. He knows reckless driving data just as well as he knows the county. 

“I’m a bus rider, I’m a bicyclist, I’m a pedestrian and a driver. I'm extra cautious. I look every which way when I walk in a crosswalk," said Sponcia. 

The Transportation Safety Assessment report takes a look at the county's roads from those perspectives. Data revealed 81 people die every year in Milwaukee County from fatal crashes. 

Just Thursday night, two people died on scene after a deadly crash near 24th and Howard. A gray Toyota was speeding down Howard when it lost control.  

“Pretty big boom, kind sounded like a bomb going off, shook my whole room. The car was absolutely destroyed," said Pierce Feypel, a neighbor who saw the crash. 

Feypel says it's a tragic, but common occurrence on Howard Street. 

"That’s pretty much what this street is seen as -- a racetrack for people. It’s a constant thing," he said.

Sponcia says the report is part of a larger solution to prevent fatal crashes like the one Feypel witnessed. The County hopes to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries on roadways in Milwaukee County by 2028.

“The first step is understanding why and where and when and so, that’s what this report identifies," said Sponcia.

Fatal crashes were on a downward trend until 2014. Since then, fatal crashes continued to increase, reaching a peak during the pandemic. According to the report, crashes are more likely to happen in northwestern parts of the city. Sponcia says this epidemic affects people of color and vulnerable neighborhoods the most. 

“If you’re a black or African American resident, you are 2.1 times likely to be the victim of a fatal crash," said Sponcia. 

More than half of all crashed happen on roughly 10% of the county's roads. 

“Capitol Drive, Fond du Lac Avenue, Kinnikinnick, 76th Street. I mean just think about the major roadways, you see crashes happen in there," said Sponcia.

He says wide lanes without traffic calming measures allows people to speed.

“We have a lot of wide streets, wide roadways," said Sponcia.

After getting over 600 public comments for this report, Sponcia says one finding is clear. 

“Residents, you know, to put it bluntly, are fed up," he said.