MILWAUKEE — After weeks of crashes, construction frustrations and safety concerns on Historic Mitchell Street, business owners, residents and city leaders walked the corridor Wednesday looking for solutions during a community walk organized by Historic Mitchell Street BID #4 with Alderman José Pérez.
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The walk brought together business owners, police officers, city workers, nonprofit groups and residents to discuss the issues impacting one of Milwaukee’s busiest and most diverse business districts.
Watch: Key stakeholders walk Historic Mitchell Street, discuss growing concerns
Historic Mitchell Street is home to dozens of small businesses, resource providers, restaurants and shops serving many. But recent incidents have raised concerns about safety, traffic and the impact ongoing disruptions are having on businesses along the corridor.
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Among those concerns: a deadly crash Monday night at 11th and Mitchell, a car earlier this month crashing into two beauty shops, ongoing reckless driving complaints and frustrations surrounding a raised crosswalk near 10th Street that grew higher than intended and is now being removed and replaced by the city.
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As the group moved block by block along Mitchell Street Wednesday, participants pointed out traffic trouble spots, litter, deteriorating properties and areas where they say reckless driving and illegal activity have become recurring concerns.
Pérez said code compliance issues, dumping complaints and concerns surrounding sex trafficking were among the biggest topics brought up during the walk.
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“We have properties that are not code compliant. We have even city parking lots that need to be addressed. We have some issues with dumping, even sex trafficking,” Pérez said.
Traffic safety remained a major focus throughout the walk and through discussions TMJ4's Mike Beiermeister has had over the past month.
Business owners discussed reckless driving, loud vehicles, ATVs and intersections where speeding remains common despite recent traffic calming efforts.
Pérez acknowledged frustration surrounding the raised crosswalk project near 10th Street, saying the city is working to correct the issue while continuing to prioritize traffic calming measures in the area.
“Wherever we can put raised crosswalks that force people to slow down, we will do it,” Pérez said.
For barber Ulysses Hunter, the disruptions have directly affected business.
Hunter works at Tasos on Mitchell Street and says he normally gives between eight and 16 haircuts a day. This month, he says, business has slowed significantly.
“Business has dramatically declined for July because of all the incidents that has occurred,” Hunter said.
Hunter says the construction and traffic changes tied to the raised crosswalk especially hurt foot traffic and customers driving through the area.
“That actually cut down dramatically the foot traffic,” Hunter said.
He also pointed to littering and cleanliness concerns along the corridor.
“Littering’s been an issue, and decline of business. It devalues the place where I work at,” Hunter said.
Throughout the walk, Pérez repeatedly emphasized the importance of residents reporting issues directly to the city, whether it involves reckless driving, dumping, nuisance properties or criminal activity.
“We can’t fix what we can’t address,” Pérez said.
The alderman encouraged residents and business owners to continue using Milwaukee’s Click4Action reporting system and to contact his office directly when problems persist.
Despite the recent challenges, Pérez said Mitchell Street remains a corridor people continue to invest in and believe in, pointing to community events, businesses and organizations that continue drawing people to the neighborhood.
For people like Hunter, the hope is that more attention, stronger communication and continued community involvement can help improve conditions moving forward.
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