Just a month after its festive unveiling in Red Arrow Park, Milwaukee’s “The Moving City” art car finds itself sidelined due to mechanical difficulties. Costing the city's taxpayers $88,000, the Ford Ranger adorned in traffic cones and encouraging road safety messages broke down, raising concerns and criticism over the investment. CBS 58 reported the vehicle was part of the "Vision Zero" initiative geared toward zero traffic deaths in Milwaukee.
While the car was created to reduce reckless driving through its presence and messaging, Alderman Lamont Westmoreland has questioned the project's value. "I don't know if the word is 'dumber,' I don't know if that's a word, but I can't think of a more dumber spend of taxpayer dollars," he told WISN 12 News. After breaking down, he found out the truck had a suspension issue that nobody was able a answer provided concerning the cost and the nature of the breakdown.
Officials remain optimistic about the vehicle's return to service, with Vision Zero Policy Director Jessica Wineberg emphasizing the normality of vehicle maintenance. "As all car owners know, vehicles need maintenance and occasional repairs," she explained in an email, reassuring that expertise to fix the issue is available within the city team. Wineberg stressed that they are anticipating "The Moving City" to be operational again soon without specifying the cost or timeline, as detailed in an email shared by FOX 6 Now.
Alderman Westmoreland is concerned not just about the breakdown but also the lack of transparency and planning. "Nobody knows, nobody knows," he said, FOX 6 Now reported.
