MILWAUKEE — At least 10 new speed humps were built Wednesday as part of Milwaukee's "Vision Zero" project to end reckless driving.
Crews plan to build at least 260 more throughout the city.
WATCH: Timelapse video shows crews building a speed hump in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee hopes to install an average of 68 new speed humps every month for the next four months. To put that into perspective, the city usually installs about 100 speed humps a year.
City leaders and engineers say more speed humps are just one part of the plan to end reckless driving.
WATCH: Interactive map shows the new speed humps built in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
The smell of fresh asphalt filled neighborhoods as crews worked by hand and with machines to build speed humps on the city’s north side. Workers hope each one of them sparks change in these neighborhoods, which are filled with residents who are sick of reckless drivers.
“People who don’t live on this block, just fly through,” said Michael Ian, who watched as a speed hump was built in front of his house on N. 63rd St. Wednesday. “There’s way too much speeding.”
“I think this speed hump will be a great addition,” said Kathy Hedtcke, who lives near one installed on N. 69th St. Wednesday. “Hopefully, hitting the bump will make them slow down because there's a stop sign ahead that nobody stops at.”
The problems long-time homeowners describe are striking. Reckless drivers, with no consideration for anyone else, cause many to feel captive in their own homes.
“They speed, race, and also stop on our streets and linger,” said Lorenzo Bond, who lives on N. 69th St. “They park and gather and do who knows what in those cars. They throw their trash out the window. I pick it up off my lawn, and I can’t go say something to them, because I’m afraid of what they may do to me or my house.”
Still, some worry speed humps are not the best solution.
“I'm worried that instead of a speed deterrent, these bumps become a ramp for people that are still speeding to fly over and lose control,” said Ian. “It’s right outside my house, so I’m expecting to hear a lot of cars hitting the bump at too high of a speed, and I pray there’s no crashes because of it.”
City leaders and engineers say speed humps are proven safe and effective in curbing excessive speeding. They also say these speed humps are just one part of their overall plan to reduce reckless driving in Milwaukee.
The creation of nearly 300 new speed humps will cost about $1 million. Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works says it’s using federal ARPA funds – money the city received from the American Rescue Plan Act – to pay for it.
