Officials in Madison have been talking about the plan with officials in Milwaukee.

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OUT, THE CITY OF MADISON WILL START CLOSING STREETS TOMORROW. MADISON IS DOING WHAT MILWAUKEE IS CONSIDERING, SHUTTING DOWN STREETS LIKE THIS TO LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY MAKING MORE ROOM FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING. >> IT WOULD ALLOW MORE SPACE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT WALKING AND BIKING BOTH TO ESSENTIAL JOBS OR WHO ARE JUST OUT RIDING AND WALKING FOR THEIR MENTAL WELLBEING. PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE ADMINISTRATOR RENEE CALLAWAY WORKS ALONGSIDE MADISON’S TRAFFIC ENGINEERS WHO CONSULTED WITH PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS. >> SIDEWALKS ARE NOT EVEN SIX FEET WIDE. SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMPETING FOR SPACE PLUS CARS. IT GETS REALLY HARD. >> THESE TRAFFIC CONES ARE SIX FEET APART, THE RECOMMENDED SEPARATION FOR SOCIA DISTANCING. BUT IN PLACES LIKE THIS WHERE THE SIDEWA NARROWS, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY SIX FEET APART. RUNNER AND WALKER JOE STARCK SAYS BUSY WEEKENDS ARE THE WORST. >> IT WAS TOO CONGESTED, I FELT, TO RUN SFELY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE DOWNWIND FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE BREATHING WHATEVER THEY’VE GOT. >> MILWAUKEE HASN’T SET A TIMETABLE OR NAMED ANY POTENTIAL STREETS. BUT THE MORE CONGESTED AND NARROWER AREAS ARE LIKELY CANDIDATES >> AND FOR KIDS, IT IS EVEN HARDER. THEY ARE NOT GOOD AT TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THEY DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND SIX FEET. BUT YOU STILL WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT ON THEIR BIKES, THEIR SCOOTERS. YOU DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO YELL AT THEM ALL THE TIME >> IN MADISON, TERRY SATER, WISN 12 NEWS. JOYCE: MADISON SAYS IT’S BEEN TALKING WITH MILWAUKEE’S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT THE IDEA OF CLOSING STREETS AND ALLOWING ONLY PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS. MILWAUKEE’S POTENTIAL STREETS HAVEN’T BEEN N

Advertisement Milwaukee considering plan to close streets to encourage social distancing Officials in Madison have been talking about the plan with officials in Milwaukee. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The city of Milwaukee is considering a street shutdown plan to encourage social distancing.Continuing Coverage: Coronavirus in WisconsinThe plan is similar to one that was recently enacted in Madison.Madison officials said some streets will close Friday to drivers."It would allow more space for people who are out walking and biking -- both to essential jobs or who are just out riding and walking for their mental well-being," Madison Pedestrian Bicycle Administrator Renee Callaway said.She worked with traffic engineers and public health experts on Madison's plan."Sidewalks are not even 6 feet wide. So you have all these people competing for space plus cars. It gets really hard," Callaway said.Runner Joe Starck said social distancing is particularly hard on weekends when more people seem to be outside."It was too congested I felt to run safely. Especially when you're downwind from a lot of people breathing whatever they've got," he said.Milwaukee hasn't set a timetable or named any potential streets that could close."If everyone's coming out in these dense areas, someone's going to have to be in the street for that to work," Callaway said. "For kids it's even harder. They're not good at traveling in a straight line. They don't really understand six feet. But you still want them to be able to get out on their bikes, their scooters. You don't want to have to yell at them all the time."Officials in Madison have been talking about the plan with officials in Milwaukee.With more residents staying home, there have been fewer cars on the road.Sign up for coronavirus email alerts from WISNGet breaking news alerts with the WISN 12 app.Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube