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Kenosha County speed limit change
The speed limit on State Highway 32 between County KR and Sheridan Road in Kenosha County was reduced to 35 mph beginning Monday, Nov. 18.
KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. - The speed limit on State Highway 32 between County KR and Sheridan Road in Kenosha County was reduced to 35 mph beginning Monday, Nov. 18. The speed limit on that same stretch was previously 45 mph.
The change is part of a collaborative pilot between the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), Kenosha County, the City of Kenosha, and the Village of Somers, intending to enhance safety.
"Kenosha County is passionate about traffic safety. We've done a lot of work to try to improve the safety in the community here. We recently got a grant. We're working with all the municipalities in order to learn how we can do better to improve the traffic safety here," said Dave Geertsen, County Board Supervisor, District 15.
A news release says WisDOT conducted an engineering analysis of the WIS 32 corridor. Officials identified patterns of rear-end and angle crashes as well as concerns for bicyclists and pedestrians. Additionally, speed studies observed vehicles traveling in excess of 80 mph.
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The new 35 mph speed limit is intended to reduce crash-related fatalities and injuries within this corridor, a news release said.
"Public safety is our number one concern, and we want to make sure that people feel safe when entering or leaving the City of Kenosha – and we believe that this will help in that endeavor," said Kenosha Mayor David Bogdala.
Starting Nov. 18, partners launched high-visibility efforts to educate the public about the new speed limit and the importance of adhering to it, including:
- Numerous speed limit signs throughout the corridor
- Dynamic speed signs showing drivers their speed compared to the speed limit
- Temporary electronic message boards at the entry points of the reduced speed zone notifying drivers of the change
- Increased State and County law enforcement presence along the corridor, focusing on visibility and education
"We got guys going by 70 or 80 miles an hour all the time," said Mike Chardukian of Sommers. "Slow traffic down, that’s what I’m hoping for."