The newly released plans for Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View aren’t just a redesign. They’re a statement about what kind of places we want to build here in Milwaukee County.
At the center of the conversation is a familiar tension: is traffic calming anti-driver?
No. It’s simply pro-place.
When we design streets at a human scale, we don’t eliminate driving. We just appropriately balance it with the needs of everyone else who uses the corridor: kids walking to school, seniors crossing for groceries, families biking to the park, customers stopping at small businesses. Streets are public spaces first, transportation corridors second.
Here’s what that shift looks like and why it matters.
Human-Scaled Benefits
A human-scaled street feels intuitive. It communicates, through design, that this is a place where people belong. When lanes are narrower, crossings are shorter, and speeds are moderated, something subtle happens: drivers pay more attention. Pedestrians feel seen. Businesses feel more accessible.
Instead of a corridor that people rush through a place, you get a street people spend time (and money) on.
That matters because comfort determines behavior. If crossing the street feels risky, fewer people will walk. If biking feels stressful, fewer families ride. If a parent doesn’t trust the intersection near a school, they drive instead—adding more congestion to the very street we’re trying to “speed up.”
Human-scaled design reduces that friction.
Economic Benefits
Commercial streets are economic engines. But high speeds and highway-style geometry undermine their productivity.
When vehicles move fast, drivers are less likely to notice storefronts, less likely to stop spontaneously, and more likely to treat the corridor as a pass-through route. Slower, steadier traffic increases visibility and access. It also reduces crash severity, which protects property, and reduces long-term public costs.
Small businesses thrive in environments where:
- People feel safe walking between shops.
- Parking maneuvers aren’t stressful.
- Outdoor seating doesn’t feel exposed to speeding traffic.
- Families linger instead of hurry.
Across the country, communities that retrofit overly wide corridors into people-centered streets see increases in foot traffic and commercial vitality. It’s about designing for productive land use.
School Zone Safety
Traffic calming becomes especially important near schools. Schools like Bay View’s Fernwood Elementary and Trowbridge School of Great Lake Studies which fall along KK Ave.
Children judge speed and distance differently than adults. They’re smaller, less visible over parked cars, and more likely to act unpredictably. A street that feels “fine” to a confident adult can feel overwhelming and dangerous to a child.
When we redesign streets near schools with raised crossings, tighter corners, and clearer pedestrian space, we send a message: this is a place where kids come first.
Safer school zones don’t just reduce crashes. They:
- Encourage active transportation—walking and biking.
- Reduce chaotic drop-off traffic.
- Build independence for young people.
- Lower stress for parents.
A community that protects its youngest residents builds trust. This is a lesson we should internalize here in South Milwaukee.
How These Specific Interventions Work
The tools proposed for Kinnickinnic Avenue are proven, practical, and increasingly common. They’re backed by science and best practices. Here’s what each one does:
Raised Crosswalks
A raised crosswalk elevates the crossing to sidewalk level. Drivers must slow as they approach, because the roadway physically rises.
Why they work:
- Forces lower vehicle speeds at conflict points.
- Improves pedestrian visibility.
- Signals clearly that people crossing have priority; ensuring compliance with yielding laws.
- Enhances accessibility for people using mobility devices by creating a flush crossing surface.
Bumpouts (Curb Extensions)
Bumpouts extend the sidewalk into the parking lane at intersections or mid-block crossings. Shorter crossings mean less time exposed in the street; especially important for seniors and children.
Why they work:
- Shorten pedestrian crossing distance.
- Improve sightlines between drivers and pedestrians.
- Prevent dangerous parking too close to intersections.
- Calm turning speeds by tightening corner radii.
Speed Tables
Speed tables are long, gently sloped raised sections of roadway. They are flatter and broader than traditional speed humps.
Why they work:
- Reduce mid-block speeding.
- Maintain smoother ride quality than abrupt humps.
- Encourage consistent, steady speeds rather than fast acceleration between signals.
- Improve comfort for buses and emergency vehicles compared to sharper devices.
High-Visibility Crosswalks
These use bold striping patterns instead of thin parallel lines. Visibility affects driver behavior. Clear markings reduce ambiguity.
Why they work:
- Increase recognition at greater distances.
- Improve nighttime and wet-weather visibility.
- Reinforce pedestrian priority at intersections.
Closing Slip Lanes
Slip lanes allow right-turning drivers to bypass intersections without fully stopping. Closing them reclaims space for pedestrians and simplifies intersections.
Why it works:
- Eliminates high-speed turning conflicts.
- Reduces pedestrian exposure to multiple crossing points.
- Makes intersections easier to navigate for everyone.
- Reclaims space for public use, landscaping, or bike infrastructure.
Lessons to Learn
- Design communicates values. If a street feels like a highway, people will drive it like one.
- Speed is the key variable. Lower speeds dramatically reduce crash severity.
- Safety and prosperity are linked. Productive corridors depend on comfort and access.
- Small changes compound. Together traffic calming interventions reshape driver behavior.
The conversation around Kinnickinnic Avenue isn’t just about Bay View. It’s about what kind of streets we want throughout Milwaukee County, including our South Milwaukee home.
We can build corridors that move cars quickly. Or we can build places where people want to be.
The strongest towns choose the latter and design accordingly.
South Milwaukee Blog 