An ordinance declaring repeat reckless driving a public nuisance has been delayed by the City Attorney's Office. The novel ordinance has support from the city's police and the Milwaukee Common Council.
The Milwaukee Common Council is considering an ordinance that would declare repeat reckless driving offenses a "public nuisance" and temporarily or permanently confiscate the vehicles of repeat offenders.
The big idea behind the ordinance, as summarized in an article by Elliot Hughes for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "the city would target its most extreme repeat offenders of reckless driving by taking them to civil court and establishing their behavior as a public nuisance. If the judge agrees, the court could issue an order to stop the nuisance."
According to sources cited in the article, the proposed ordinance is the first of its kind and was first proposed by Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. The ordinance has initial support among the city's aldermen and cleared a key council committee before hitting a roadblock with the city attorney's office.
The reality is none of the other legal remedies are working [….] Tickets, bench warrants… none of it is working. This will provide another tool, because reckless driving is a huge complaint. I live on a busy street, I see it day in, day out. There are individuals who just should not be driving. – Milwaukee Alderman José Pérez
As mentioned above, the ordinance did hit a roadblock this week before facing a vote from the full Common Council. As reported in a separate article by Hughes, an 11th-hour opinion from the Milwaukee City Attorney's Office blocked the ordinance.
"Despite the proposal receiving unanimous committee approval on March 10, the city attorney’s office did not issue its latest opinion on it until less than 24 hours before Tuesday’s Common Council meeting," reports Hughes. "Those objections meant the council could not take up the legislation at its Tuesday meeting and it was instead sent back to committee."
Proponents of the ordinance are quoted in the article saying the city attorney's opinion is blocking the ordinance on policy, not legal grounds. The city attorney's opinion is not considered a final straw for the ordinance, which will head back to the drawing board in committee.
Milwaukee Road Safety Efforts Paying Off
The city is seeing fewer speeding violations after installing traffic calming measures and boosting enforcement to limit reckless driving.
Generation Z Is Driving Less, But History Indicates It Won’t Last
Think Generation Z will usher in the long-awaited post-car future of transit advocates’ dreams? Think again (about the example set by the Millennials).
Traffic Fatalities Set Records as Pandemic-Era Road Carnage Shows No Signs of Stopping
An estimated 42,915 people died in automobile crashes in 2021, according to recent federal data. The increasing fatalities continue a trend that began with the outset of the pandemic.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)