Shorewood committee outlines steps to improve safety on West Capitol Drive, advances speed‑limit appeal to state

Public Works Committee members on Wednesday reviewed a multi‑part pedestrian safety initiative for West Capitol Drive and directed staff to advance a previously denied speed‑limit reduction request to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Traffic Operations.

The committee’s review focused on three areas: advancing the outstanding WisDOT speed‑limit reduction request; setting policy on pavement‑marking frequency and type, including crosswalk markings; and considering streetscape modifications such as bump‑outs and vegetation changes to improve visibility, Lianne Buschlik, director of public works, told trustees.

The initiative traces to a 2023 traffic‑and‑parking submission that identified 13 separate requests, several of which have already been addressed and several that remained open. “Recall we reviewed this, request initiative form. I believe it was in May of 2024,” Buschlik said, summarizing the packet and the committee’s prior direction.

Consultant data collected for a Village‑funded speed study showed the request did not meet the technical thresholds in WisDOT guidance, and the Southeast region safety and regulations unit recommended not reducing the posted limit. Strand, the consultant that collected and analyzed the data, and WisDOT staff confirmed the data collection method met the agency’s guidance, Buschlik said. The committee voted to advance the initial request to the Bureau of Traffic Operations so the village can document that it pursued every step in the state process.

Trustees and public commenters discussed engineering, education and enforcement as complementary tools. Buschlik said the “three‑legged stool” — engineering, education and enforcement — must be balanced. She told trustees that the village has limited remaining engineering options on the state highway (anything that alters the curb‑to‑curb geometry typically requires WisDOT approval), and that enforcement or education strategies may be needed to reduce speeds.

Public commenter Sandy Pendleton, who identified her address and submitted written comments, urged continued engagement with WisDOT and cited the Wisconsin Bicycle Facilities Handbook when describing how the village might formalize a painted bike lane on the south side of the corridor. “If you look at section 3.4 of the Wisconsin Bicycle Facilities Handbook, that allows that,” Pendleton said, arguing that markings could formalize an existing four‑foot curbside bike area except where parking and a bus stop prevent markings.

Buschlik said there are two to three north‑side locations where bump‑outs might be feasible without eliminating a bike lane and that some sight lines could be improved by replacing plantings near crosswalks with turf to reduce maintenance and improve visibility. The committee scheduled more detailed pavement‑markings discussion at its next meeting and a streetscape discussion in the following meeting; Buschlik said she will bring options for vegetative changes and a more explicit summary of what the village can and cannot do without WisDOT approval.

The committee did not adopt any engineering changes at the meeting; it gave staff direction to advance the speed‑limit request and to return with more detailed recommendations on markings and streetscape adjustments.

Why it matters: West Capitol Drive passes schools and high‑pedestrian areas. Trustees said they wanted to exhaust the state process and pursue local tools where feasible to reduce speeds and improve safety for students, pedestrians and cyclists.

What’s next: Staff will advance the speed‑limit request to WisDOT’s Bureau of Traffic Operations, return with detailed pavement‑marking proposals at the next Public Works meeting, and present possible streetscape and vegetation changes at a subsequent meeting.