West Allis Transportation Academy

by susan in News
A group of 15 people stands on concrete steps outside on a cloudy day.

The West Allis Transportation Academy wrapped up yesterday. It’s hard to believe how fast the last nine weeks went by! Every Wednesday, we met either on Zoom or in West Allis to learn the nuts and bolts of local transportation planning and get into the heart of issues in West Allis and the Milwaukee area.  

To learn more about the Community Transportation Academy program, click here on our website.

For me, the highlights are always getting to know the people in the Academy during in-person sessions. We met four times: once for introductions, twice for local tours, and once at the conclusion of the Academy for final presentations. 

More than a dozen people are seated around long tables in a room with lots of windows. A laptop and microphone sit atop a small stand.
The first convening of the West Allis Transportation Academy on April 2, 2025

At the end of April, we conducted a walk/roll audit of Greenfield Ave from City Hall to State Fair Park. Greenfield Ave is also state highway 59, a truck route owned by WisDOT. The road presents a number of challenges, with high traffic counts, plenty of pedestrian traffic, and of course a lot of use during the State Fair in the summer. Greenfield Ave/WIS 59 is in the early design phase for re-pavement with construction to start in 2029, so this was an opportune time to document some of the pedestrian safety issues. 

A group of people cross a wide street. One of them is on a motorized scooter.
Crossing 84th
Two people on a sidewalk next to a tall black fence. One person is holding a speed gun.
Waiting for speeders
3 people walk down a sidewalk. One is facing the camera. The other two are walking away from the camera and pushing a wheelchair.
Walking with a wheelchair

In mid-May, Natalie Marshall, Jesus Ochoa, and Tom Bertrand from the Milwaukee County Transit System presented us with information about how they collect and use data to plan routes, infrastructure, and operations for MCTS. They gave us just a glimpse into the immense challenges of running a transit system across multiple municipalities with no dedicated funding source. RTAs (Regional Transit Authorities) were prohibited in Wisconsin by the legislature in 2011, which severely restricts the ability of local transit systems to serve the needs of their communities. The class embarked for a ride on route 18 from City Hall to the turnaround at Industries for the Blind in West Allis. 

A group of people on a city bus.
On the route 18 bus
People boarding the bus, which reads "18 National"
Bus shelter at Industries for the Blind
A smiling bus driver wearing dark sunglasses and an MCTS cap.
Richard, our bus driver

And finally, the Academy concluded this week with four fantastic presentations by Academy participants:

Street view of a slip lane. Text at the top reads "Making the park safer. Currently there are no sidewalks along Olmstead. There is one multiuse path that runs along one side of Olmstead, but difficult to access by bike due to the slip lane from highway 175.)
Slide from Brooke’s presentation.
Presentation slide with a satellite view of a park on the left and four street views on the right.
Slide from J and Conor’s presentation.
  • (Left) Brooke proposed changes to Olmstead Way through Washington Park in Milwaukee; these changes would allow safe biking and walking in the park and eliminate through-traffic.
  • (Right) J. and Conor offered a comprehensive revisioning of 43rd street along Jackson Park in Milwaukee; these changes would slow traffic and greatly improve pedestrian and bicycle access to the park.
Blue presentation slide with diagrams on the left and the title "common Accessibility Concerns (1 of 4) within the PROW" and a list of curb ramp types on the right.
Presentation slide with orange letters reading "Potential urban design improvements" and a blue bulleted list that reads "greening, gateway monumentation, placemaking" and an aerial image of a roundabout.
  • (Left) BJ and Rebecca gave an overview of the importance of engaging the disability community and infrastructure design considerations in transportation projects.
  • (Right) Rochelle proposed changes to improve user safety and access of the Hank Aaron State Trail at 25th and Canal in Milwaukee, which is part of the Menominee Valley.

Every week, I was impressed by the engagement and local knowledge of all participants. It is clear they are all passionate about the role of transportation in creating healthy, thriving communities. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

The West Allis Transportation Academy would not have been possible without the support of everyone involved. I owe many thanks to:

  • The City of West Allis, for being helpful and engaged partners in this program. Several city staff met with me to bring me up to speed on local issues, show me around, and offer their time as guest speakers;
  • Emily Wagner from the West Allis planning department, for bringing the Academy to West Allis and being my liaison and primary contact;
  • Natalie Marshall and other MCTS staff, for coordinating the transit tour and arranging free bus passes for all participants;
  • Amber Miller and AARP Wisconsin, for providing food during in-person sessions, captioning services during online sessions, speed guns for the walk/roll audit, and other resources and support. 

Susan Gaeddert is Community Programs Director at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. She plans and facilitates the Community Transportation Academy program.