Milwaukee County wrong-way driving; new technology could curb
Milwaukee County wrong-way driving; new technology
New technology could help stop wrong-way drivers faster.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. - New technology could help stop wrong-way drivers faster.
What we know:
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said most wrong-way driver calls originate from downtown. Deputies say they respond to wrong-way drivers about four times a week.
Now, there's a push to get those numbers down.
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MCSO Sgt. Andrew Bilda was the first to see this wrong-way driver when he was leading the motorcade for former Vice President Kamala Harris last October.
What they're saying:
"I was in the van that was the very first vehicle that car had passed," Bilda said. "How much of a problem it must be if we have the whole freeway shut down and still had someone coming at a motorcade."
Bilda said wrong-way driving is a consistent issue. He works from 10 pm to 6 a.m., which is when he said deputies get the most calls for wrong-way drivers.
"I think a little bit of it is the drinking culture. A lot of them that we encounter are intoxicated," he said. "In the downtown area is where we see most of ours originate from."
Bilda said there are detection systems on some ramps in the county that dispatch a deputy when they sense a wrong-way driver.
Dig deeper:
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said it is currently looking at adding 10 more locations for wrong-way driver alert systems.
Right now, there are 20 statewide. WisDOT will not say where.
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It's a part of the discussion among a newly-formed WisDOT task force specifically focused on wrong-way driving.
In the meantime, the department is adding more signs at intersections and ramps, that say "wrong way" or "do not enter".
WisDOT said in 2025, there have been 270 wrong-way driving incidents statewide.
What you can do:
The MCSO said to avoid driving in the left lane, which is typically where they see wrong-way drivers entering the freeway.
The Source: The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and Wisconsin Department of Transportation provided information.