MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee business owner is advocating for traffic calming measures at an intersection on the city's east side, following years of crashes that have left debris scattered.
Gregory Cilmi, owner of Temple Goddess restaurant at the corner of Lafayette and Farwell, is working to gather community support for safety improvements through the city's Community Led Traffic Calming Program.
Watch: Why this business owner is pushing for new traffic safety improvements:
The intersection has been the site of multiple accidents over the years, including a 2024 crash that forced Lafayette Place to close.
Related | The LaFayette Place cafe in Milwaukee closed after car crashes into front door
"You can see some of the debris still on the road from there; it was all down in here," Cilmi said, pointing to remnants from recent accidents.
The restaurant owner has witnessed the dangerous conditions firsthand, including near misses that have left him concerned about his business's future.
"People drive around this corner, very quickly, very fast," Cilmi said.
I spoke with Cilmi about his efforts to make the intersection safer for everyone in the community. He believes traffic calming measures would benefit all residents, workers, and visitors to the area.
"Finding a way to curb some of the traffic in the area would be a benefit for everybody," Cilmi said.
Cilmi hopes to install protective planters similar to those found along North Avenue. To move forward with the Community Led Traffic Calming Program, he needs signatures from 50% of impacted residents supporting the petition.
According to 3rd District Alderman Alex Brower's office, the exact number of signatures needed can change depending on the specific plan being proposed.
Once the required signatures are collected, the Department of Public Works will review the request, design appropriate calming measures, and prepare a cost estimate. Residents will then have another opportunity to provide input at a public hearing.
"As a safety perspective, it would be ideal, especially if you live, work, and play within the city; it is something that would be a benefit to everybody," Cilmi said.
In a statement to TMJ4, Brower wrote, "We support traffic calming measures on N Farwell Ave, as well as the Community Led Traffic Calming (CLTC) program. CLTC is a democratic process through which residents can create change they want to see immediately, through their own direct action and community building. It is exactly the type of program our office wants to see more of in Milwaukee."
The petition is available for neighbors to sign inside the Temple Goddess restaurant.
This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
