Milwaukee automated traffic enforcement pilot program; new legislation

Automated traffic enforcement being considered

Milwaukee leaders are eyeing up automated traffic enforcement, but it would require a change in state law.

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee, state leaders and community advocates announced on Monday, June 9, the introduction of legislation that would authorize the city to implement an automated traffic enforcement (ATE) pilot program. 

Automated traffic enforcement

What we know:

The proposed legislation aims to reduce reckless driving and improve traffic safety on Milwaukee’s streets. 

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The legislation seeks to provide the city with modern tools to enhance enforcement, save lives, and support its broader Vision Zero goals. This includes the use of automatic traffic safety cameras, which is prohibited by state law right now. 

Leaders say there is support for traffic cameras

What they're saying:

"It's clear based on the 29 other states that allow them, ATE programs, automated traffic enforcement programs, are proven to reduce crashes, proven to reduce injuries and proven to reduce fatalities on the roadway. As well, ATE programs are especially effective in large cities and have reduced all crashes by 54% and injury crashes by 47% on urban roads," said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. 

Milwaukee automated traffic enforcement pilot program

The proposed legislation aims to reduce reckless driving and improve traffic safety on Milwaukee’s streets.

"As a state, we have a job to do and to give our local government the tools they need. To ensure that there is healthy and safe communities. And this is what this bill does," said State Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee). 

State Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee)

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"We need this tool. We are a Vision Zero city. We have the goal of eliminating traffic deaths. Our target year is 2037," said Jessica Wineberg, Vision Zero policy director. "There's lots of public support for these cameras in our own Vision Zero polls that we did as part of the plan. Sixty-two percent of people in Milwaukee who took the poll wanted to see these cameras explored as a safety program. AAA did a poll in 2024 that was statewide, and there we saw that 64% of Wisconsin residents favor speed cameras and 71 favor red light cameras. Seventy-one percent of Wisconsinites in the AAA poll wanted to see red-light cameras as a tool that we can use."

Jessica Wineberg, Vision Zero policy director

What's next:

State Sen. Drake told FOX6 News the bill for automated traffic enforcement will officially be introduced in the next few days. 

Republican State Sen. Van Wanggaard has been opposed to the bill in the past. On Monday, Wanggaard told FOX6 News he has not seen the latest version of the bill, so he cannot comment on it.