Efforts to curb reckless driving in Milwaukee are gaining momentum with a new bill poised to introduce red light and speed enforcement cameras to the city. Currently, Wisconsin law forbids the use of such cameras, which capture images of vehicles breaking traffic rules. A newly proposed bill seeks to change this by permitting up to 75 cameras at various intersections throughout Milwaukee.
The legislation, if passed, would specifically target Milwaukee, the sole city in Wisconsin classified as a first-class city, allowing it to implement these enforcement tools. State Sen. Dora Drake, D-Milwaukee, the bill’s proponent, emphasized during a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government that the cameras are intended to be an additional measure against the city’s persistent reckless driving problem. “This legislation is about changing dangerous habits and ensuring that everyone — regardless of where they live — can cross the street or drive to work, school or church without fear,” Drake stated.
According to the proposed bill, these cameras would be positioned at “high-frequency crash locations” across Milwaukee, with a cap of five cameras per aldermanic district. The city would issue traffic citations only for vehicles exceeding the speed limit by 15 mph or more and those that fail to stop at red lights. Decisions on camera locations would be made by local officials, and intersections equipped with cameras would feature “Photo Enforced” signage.
Revenues generated from traffic violations would fund the system’s implementation and maintenance. Remaining funds would be allocated to traffic-related safety initiatives, as per the Legislative Reference Bureau’s analysis. “We want to change behavior,” explained Milwaukee’s Vision Zero Policy Director Jessica Wineberg. “We aren’t trying to maximize revenue.”
Traffic incidents in Milwaukee have surged by 86 percent since 2012, with 74 fatalities recorded last year. Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman described the cameras as a “proven tool” in the city’s strategy to combat reckless driving, alongside existing education and enforcement efforts. “The goal is not tickets. It’s about compliance, and compliance saves lives,” Norman emphasized.
Despite previous attempts to pass similar legislation, state lawmakers have yet to approve such measures. However, this marks the first instance a bill of this nature has been presented for a public hearing. State Sen. Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee, who cosponsored the bill and chairs the relevant Senate committee, remarked, “This will not solve the traffic violation problems in Milwaukee, but it is a tool in the toolbox that law enforcement can use to try and make the streets a little safer.”
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that over 340 U.S. communities have implemented red light camera programs, contributing to a 21 percent reduction in fatal red light running crashes in larger cities, according to one study.
In contrast, state Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, expressed skepticism about the cameras’ efficacy, advocating instead for increased patrol officer presence in crash-prone areas. “I don’t see taking a picture as a way to solve it here,” Wanggaard commented.
