Milwaukee County has secured a sizable federal grant to improve roadway safety, targeting some of the most dangerous streets. County Executive David Crowley announced the reception of nearly $25 million to fund traffic safety initiatives across the region. In a statement obtained by the Milwaukee County's official website, Crowley said, "I am proud my administration secured new funding that will save lives along our most hazardous roads and intersections by addressing speeding – the number one reason people die in crashes."
This funding is part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Milwaukee County's grant is the third-largest in the program’s 2025 cycle. The Milwaukee County Department of Transportation will manage the distribution of these funds, which are to properly facilitate 67 traffic safety projects along ten corridors identified as high-risk areas. Projects aim to aggressively cut down fatal and serious injury crashes by up to 50%.
Equity is at the forefront of this initiative, as traffic crashes do not impact all neighborhoods equally. A focus lies on implementing traffic calming measures and upgrades, particularly in areas where they are most needed. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, highlighting the cooperative nature of this effort, said, "This funding will allow the City of Milwaukee to deliver critical safety improvements to some of the most dangerous corridors in the City, including State highways," as stated by the Milwaukee County.
The planned improvements, as outlined by Milwaukee County Department of Transportation, include enhancing pedestrian infrastructure with high-visibility crosswalks and expanding sidewalk networks. The grant will also cover measures to calm traffic along three high-speed corridors, a move designed to directly address the phenomena of reckless driving. Additionally, two safety analysis studies will be funded to strategize further enhancements. Village President Wanda Montgomery of Brown Deer expressed gratitude for this collaborative pursuit, stating, "Brown Deer looks forward to using these grant dollars to improve 60th Street in front of our schools including the intersection at Dean Road," as reported by the Milwaukee County.
Preliminary designs for the safety projects are expected to kick off in 2027, followed by a phased completion by 2031. The SS4A program aligns with a larger safety vision aiming for zero roadway deaths, and the next solicitation round is anticipated to arrive in mid-2026, which Milwaukee County Department of Transportation plans to engage in further. The current initiative rides on the tail of the ongoing Complete Communities Transportation Planning Project which has been working since 2023 to mitigate issues of reckless driving across Milwaukee County.
