E. Wells Street, City of Milwaukee
2026 Engineering Excellence Best of State
Entering Firm: raSmith
Client: City of Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s E. Wells Street corridor is a hub for restaurants, events, transit, and multimodal travel. Reckless driving and a streetscape that no longer reflected how the corridor was being used diminished safety. The addition of a streetcar, expanded restaurant seating, and event traffic strained the corridor.
Engineers redeveloped an overcrowded streetscape to provide a calmer, more comfortable environment for users.
raSmith recognized the need for a comprehensive redesign and reimagined the corridor to better serve all users. Prior to reconstruction, Wells Street functioned as a three-lane roadway with bike lanes, parking on both sides, and constrained sidewalks, even as the area evolved into a destination The area now features raised, separated bicycle facilities. Narrowed travel lanes, curb extensions, expanded pedestrian space, and enhanced areas for outdoor dining calm traffic and improve safety.
The project required extensive coordination, a compressed schedule, and creative design strategies to navigate dense utilities, ongoing events, and a mid-summer shutdown for the Republican National Convention. raSmith employed advanced modeling to minimize temporary easements and resolve conflicts with underground electrical, steam and storm sewer systems.
“The E. Wells Street project successfully balanced traffic needs with pedestrian and bicycle safety, introducing Wisconsin’s first raised bicycle facilities on a state trunk highway while enhancing space for landscaping, dining, and public use.”
- Awards Judge Tom Buchholz
Completed in spring 2025, the corridor now lives up to its reputation as a community hub. The reconstructed corridor supports a safer, more welcoming area for all visitors and transportation users.