KEY DETAILS
The aim of this study is to begin to reimagine Brady Street as a pedestrian-first environment. This study includes explanations of what a pedestrian-first environment is, traffic study information, four streetscape options, as well as next steps in the project’s creation. Excerpts and graphics from the study are used throughout this page.
For a complete understanding of the Brady Street Pedestrianization Study it is strongly recommended reading the full report. This page includes a small part of the entire study.
PROJECT AREA
The project limits are four blocks of Brady Street between Humboldt Avenue to the west and Cambridge and Farwell Avenues to the east. Alternatives include options to treat the entire four block stretch and options to treat the middle two blocks from Franklin Place to Warren Avenue. In some alternatives, treatments extend north and south from Brady Street partially onto adjoining streets.
Excerpt from “Prioritizing People on Brady: Brady Street Pedestrianization” page 15.
Note: The area of Brady Street west of Humboldt Avenue was not included in this study, however the alternatives provided could be considered for this area. Future discussions may take place if residents and business owners are interested.
Prioritizing People on Brady Street: 4 Alternatives
Speed tables at three intersections with Brady Street, Franklin Place, Arlington Place, and Warren Avenue would serve to reduce speeding and reckless driving within the “core” of the Brady Street commercial district. Each intersection would elevate motorists to the level of pedestrians, creating a noticeable change and signaling to motorists they have entered a different type of space.
The speed tables are designed to extend north and south partially along side streets. Each of these extensions serves the dual purpose of placemaking in addition to speed reduction. The extensions of the speed tables create plaza-like spaces along each side street that can be closed for events.
Traffic, transit, and access would not change in this alternative. Full access for all vehicles is permitted. Minimal on-street parking spaces would be removed at intersections.
Benefits
Safety: Intersections act as “speed tables,” forcing speed reduction and encouraging motorists to yield to pedestrians.
Neighborhood Vitality: Raised tables create an improved space for seasonal closures and encourages walkability. Curbless intersections improve accessibility.
Commercial VitalIty: Businesses retain current visibility to traffic. Speed reduction decreases noise to enhance customer experience.
Visual Impact: Crossings are highly visible, distinguished, and pedestrians have an elevated vantage point to see oncoming vehicles.
Bike/Transit: Reduced traffic speeds increases comfort for bikes. Aesthetically improved transit experience
Traffic: No change to traffic. No interventions are needed to redirect vehicles. No motorist
Parking: Minimal on-street parking spaces would be removed at intersections.
Operations & Maintenance: Minimal ongoing maintenance costs compared to existing conditions.
Excerpt from “Prioritizing People on Brady: Brady Street Pedestrianization” pages 16 and 17.
Transforming the entire stretch of Brady Street between Humboldt Avenue and Farwell Avenue creates a four-block curbless (or low curb) environment. Entry into the space from all directions includes a “speed table” element that transitions the roadway into a shared street. Redesigned parking and curb extensions would serve to constrain the roadway, further reducing travel speeds and reckless driving and expanding the amount of space entirely dedicated to pedestrians.
The curbless street is designed to extend north and south partially along side streets. Each of these extensions serves the dual purpose of placemaking in addition to speed reduction. The extensions create plaza-like spaces along each side street that can be closed for events.
Traffic, transit, and access would not change in this alternative. Full access for all vehicles is permitted. Up to 50% of on-street parking spaces would be removed along corridor.
Benefits
Safety: Removing select on-street parking may reduce the number of sideswipe crashes that are prevalent along this corridor.
Neighborhood Vitality: The design further enhances Brady Street’s cultural identity. The entire street is improved for events and temporary closures. Combined with traffic calming measures, restricting select private access drives may deter car-driven drug activity.
Commercial Vitality: Increased space is created for business activities on sidewalks (formal and incidental). Businesses retain current visibility to traffic. Increased entire appeal of entire corridor with full redesign.
Visual Impact: New streetscaping for entire street increases district appeal. Design creates opportunities for a variety of high-quality aesthetic enhancements.
Traffic: No change to traffic. No interventions are needed to redirect vehicles. No driver education and wayfinding are required. All traffic calming comes from street design. No need for wayfinding.
Bike/Transit: Reduced traffic speeds increases comfort for bikes. Aesthetically improved transit experience.
Parking: Increases safety and experience of parking with re-allocation of select on-street spaces with pedestrian bump outs.
Excerpt from “Prioritizing People on Brady: Brady Street Pedestrianization” pages 22 and 23.
Limiting access along a two-block stretch of Brady Street from Franklin Place to Warren Avenue would transform the “core” of the commercial district into a holistic public place. The roadway is narrowed to the minimal space needed to provide access to transit and essential vehicles accessing properties on Brady Street nearly doubling the amount of space available to pedestrians within the “core” and nearly eliminating all potential conflicts with pedestrians and personal vehicles.
The two blocks of Brady Street east and west of the “core” would maintain access to thru traffic but include redesigned parking to expand the available pedestrian space and enhance the corridor.
Transit, loading, and emergency vehicle access would not change in this alternative.
Benefits
Safety: Limited access eliminates pedestrian/personal vehicle conflicts within the core.
Neighborhood Vitality: Limited access creates a new type of social space for new types of activities fostering social connection. The two-block span minimizes walk times for people using cars with limited mobility. Increased space for public art and cultural signifiers will help express local diversity. Additionally, combined with traffic calming measures, restricting select private access drives may deter car-driven drug activity.
Commercial Vitality: The redesigned parking on the streets with vehicle access increases the space for businesses along the entire corridor while the narrower roadway in the core provides additional space. Businesses would retain visibility to most traffic with the core never further than one block from thru traffic. A mix of experiences along the corridor can help to support a variety of businesses along the corridor.
Visual Impact: The corridor creates opportunity for a larger area of aesthetic enhancements both public and private with most enhancement in the core.
Bike/Transit: The elimination of thru traffic improves bike comfort, transit speeds, and the quality of experience for both.
Traffic: A significant traffic calming effect results from the elimination of thru traffic and constrained roadway design. The area maintains access to neighborhood streets. The design creates an opportunity for an enhanced wayfinding approach.
Parking: The design increases the safety and experience of parking at the bookends of the alternative and reallocates all “core area” parking to pedestrian space.
Operations & MaIntenance: Minimal operation needed to maintain and enforce limited access depending on design.
Excerpt from “Prioritizing People on Brady: Brady Street Pedestrianization” pages 28 and 29.
Limiting access along a four-block stretch of Brady Street from Humboldt Avenue to Cambridge Avenue would transform this stretch of the commercial district into a holistic public place. The roadway is narrowed to the minimal space needed to provide access to transit and essential vehicles accessing properties on Brady Street nearly doubling the amount of space available to pedestrians and nearly eliminating all potential conflicts with pedestrians and personal vehicles.
The intersecting streets of Humboldt Avenue, Franklin Place, and Cambridge Avenue would remain open to cross traffic to provide access for people to be dropped off within walking distance of the core.
Transit, loading, and emergency vehicle access would not change in this alternative.
Benefits
Safety: Eliminates vehicle/pedestrian conflicts everywhere except intersections. At intersections, conflicts are reduced by half. The elimination of turning movements at cross streets further reduces conflicts such as right- turn collisions.
Neighborhood Vitality: Creates a large social space that is unique in Milwaukee. The impact is large enough to draw significant excitement across the city/region. Provides substantial space for public art and cultural signifiers to express local diversity. Provides a new type of nearly 100% safe space for all ages and abilities. Additionally, combined with traffic calming measures, restricting select private access drives may deter car-driven drug activity.
Commercial Vitality: Maximum increased space for businesses along entire corridor, equally distributed. Businesses maintain some visibility to traffic at some cross streets and retain the ability to have customers dropped off at entry points. Reduces vehicle noise from traffic to the maximum extent.
Visual Impact: Opportunity for the largest area of aesthetic enhancements along entire corridor.
Bike/Transit: The elimination of thru traffic presents the maximum improvement in bike comfort along Brady Street with easily traversed intersections for all ages and abilities. The design maximizes the speed efficiency for transit.
Traffic: Design has the maximum traffic calming effect with minimum spillover traffic onto neighborhood streets. The design presents an opportunity for an enhanced wayfinding approach.
Parking: Design maintains access to parking on neighborhood streets with minimal confusion or dead-ends.
Operations & Maintenance: Minimal effort to maintain and enhance. Potential substantial reduction in costs due to eliminated pavement wear and tear from traffic.
Excerpt from “Prioritizing People on Brady: Brady Street Pedestrianization” pages 34 and 35.
What is Pedestrianization?
Prioritizing People on Brady explores options for “pedestrianization” on a portion Brady Street. While pedestrianization implies closing streets to all modes of transportation besides pedestrians, this study considers each mode of transportation individually to develop alternatives which create a space that is “pedestrian-first,” but introduces other modes in compatible ways that prioritize the safety and comfort of pedestrians to the maximum extent feasible. General traffic, transit, emergency vehicles, loading vehicles, bicycles, and micromobility are all considered and granted varying levels of access within each alternative.
Excerpt from “Prioritizing People on Brady: Brady Street Pedestrianization” page 10.
NEXT STEPS
Short-Term
Right away, this document acts as a tool for the Business Improvement District (BID) to engage with stakeholders to make decisions toward refining the final design. Local residents, businesses, organizations, and officials must come together to discuss their priorities, preferences, and trade-offs to be made between the various benefits presented in each alternative concept. The BID may also pilot the concept before construction occurs. Any implementation will require coordination with City, MCTS, emergency services, and the community.
Long-Term
Developing a final design will require coordination with the City of Milwaukee, MCTS, local residents and businesses, and potentially a third-party design team. The final design may look like one of the alternatives in this document, or it may piece together aspects of multiple alternatives.
Selecting an Alternative
Working towards a final design will involve coordination with several groups and many phases of iteration. The four alternatives in this document provide a range of possibilities, but details between each design may be further developed.
Excerpts from “Prioritizing People on Brady: Brady Street Pedestrianization” pages 40 and 41.
Contributors
This study was researched and written by GRAEF and The Kubala Washatko Artchitects.
Input was provided by the Pedestrianization Committee, whose members include Leroy Buth, Pat Suminski, Lataija Brown, Alderman Jonathan Brostoff, and Rachel Taylor.
The Department of Public Work’s Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke, City Engineer Kevin Muhs, and Multimodal Transportation Manager Mike Amsden were advisors throughout the study.
The Brady Street BID Board of Directors authorized the study, and the Brady Street Business Improvement District paid for the study.
With Thanks
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Department of Urban Planning class UP 722: Pedestrian and Bike Transportation, taught by Robert Schneider, provided research for the pedestrian-first discussion.
Milwaukee County Transit System’s service information for the Brady Street corridor was graciously made available to the contributors.
Alderman Brostoff and the Pedestrianization Committee would like to thank the residents and business owners who shared their thoughts and concerns about changes to Brady Street during the study.
QUESTIONS?
