Speed Safety Cameras Could Make Milwaukee’s Streets Safer for Pedestrians

AARP’s Livable Communities initiative promotes infrastructure and policies that make cities safer and more navigable for people walking, biking, and using public transit. As part of our Livable Communities work, AARP Wisconsin conducts walk audits across the state, including in Milwaukee, to assess pedestrian safety and street accessibility. During these audits, volunteers use speed guns to monitor traffic, and it’s alarmingly common to record vehicles traveling 60 mph in 30 mph zones. In one audit, over 75% of drivers exceeded the speed limit by at least 15 mph, underscoring the urgent need for traffic calming measures and enforcement tools like speed safety cameras.

That’s why AARP Wisconsin supports Senate Bill 375, which would authorize the City of Milwaukee to use speed safety cameras and photo enforcement systems to cite individuals who exceed the speed limit by 15 miles per hour or more or run red lights.

Older adults are disproportionately affected by pedestrian fatalities, especially at intersections and along arterial roads. Automated enforcement, as proposed in SB 375, has been shown to reduce speeding and red-light running—two leading causes of pedestrian deaths in urban areas. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia permit speed safety cameras, and the number of U.S. communities using speed safety cameras has nearly tripled over the past 15 years. Cities that have implemented automated systems report:

• Significant reductions in crashes
• Lower injury and fatality rates at high-risk intersections
• Greater compliance with speed limits in school and senior zones

SB 375 would make Milwaukee’s roads safer for drivers and pedestrians who walk, bike, and use other modes of transportation. The legislature is considering this proposal now. If you live in Milwaukee and would like to contact your representatives in support of this issue, you can use this map to find their names and contact information.