Wauwatosa committee adopts new traffic-calming guidelines, outlines reckless-driving mitigation work

The Wauwatosa City Transportation Affairs Committee voted 6-0 to approve revised neighborhood traffic-calming guidelines and heard a staff briefing on reckless-driving mitigation and related projects funded by the city's vehicle registration fee.

The new policy replaces the prior neighborhood-funded approach and directs city staff to administer a data-driven program funded primarily by the vehicle registration fee. Mike May, traffic engineer, told the committee the revised packet shortens the prior 40-page policy to about 15 pages and is designed to be easier for residents and staff to use. "All people are entitled to safe travel, and death and serious injury are excessive and unacceptable," May said, explaining the rationale for the program's focus on speed, excessive speed and crash history.

Committee members said the policy should limit political influence in project selection. The mayor urged adopting an objective policy and letting staff follow it, arguing that a standard policy avoids "pitting neighborhood against neighborhood." Alder Lewis moved approval; Alder Foley seconded. The motion passed 6-0.

Why it matters: the policy changes how Wauwatosa prioritizes and pays for neighborhood traffic-calming projects. Instead of requiring neighborhoods to fund targeted improvements, the city will use the vehicle registration fee to allocate…