Reckless driving in Milwaukee; 'The Moving City' to raise awareness
MILWAUKEE - The city of Milwaukee wants to eliminate traffic deaths by 2037. It is part of its "Vision Zero." On Wednesday, Aug. 14, officials unveiled a mobile piece of art to engage people about the problems of reckless driving.
An old Ford Ranger was turned into The Moving City, an art car created by artist Sarah Davitt. It has traffic cones – and messages are carved in and weaved throughout the vehicle.
While the messages may not resonate with chronic reckless drivers, the hope is to draw attention to the piece of art as it travels around the city – and start conversations about reckless driving and being a better driver.
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"Reducing traffic fatalities is about an ‘all of the above’ approach. Having creative things that capture the public’s attention, and start conversations, and bring people to us at events, to talk to people about why we put a speed bump in their neighborhood, or why they might be seeing a different project is a real positive," said Jessica Wineberg, Vision Zero Policy Director.
"Reckless driving, as all of us know, is a serious issue that's been affecting the city of Milwaukee for some time. And we're committed to addressing reckless driving in this city and doing it through education, doing it through enforcement, doing it through engineering, and doing it through creative solutions like The Moving City," said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. "This art installation is a powerful statement of art about our commitment to road safety."
In early 2023, the Milwaukee Arts Board (MAB) launched the Public Artist in Residence (PAIR) pilot program, which is coordinated by the Department of City Development.
According to a news release, the program invests in the city’s cultural creators to build a stronger Milwaukee and calls for City of Milwaukee Departments to submit their interest in having an artist work on pressing social issues relevant to the department’s work.
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This program also facilitates cross-sector collaboration with Milwaukee’s various BIDs, NIDs, and partner organizations.