As a Community, We Can Prevent Traffic Fatalities in Madison

For Immediate Release
June 8, 2026

A message from Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway: 

“Like many in our community, I'm deeply saddened and horrified that, yet again, a pedestrian was killed while simply trying to cross a street. This is completely unacceptable and completely avoidable. The traffic fatality last week on East Washington Avenue is still being investigated by the Madison Police Department. However, early indications suggest that excessive speeding was a factor in this tragedy.  

The data is extremely clear: the faster a vehicle is going, the more likely it is that a crash will result in significant injuries or death. Five pedestrians have now been killed on our streets this year. One death is too many. 

The City is actively working to make our streets safer through engineering, enforcement, education, and evidence-based interventions. The Madison Police Department has increased traffic enforcement operations with a summer safety plan that went into effect on June 1. We also hear from the community about utilizing cameras to enforce traffic laws — which I support — but that is unfortunately restricted by state law at the moment. The police cannot be everywhere, however, and enforcement alone will not solve the problem; we also need physical changes to our streets. Every city street resurfacing or reconstruction includes proven safety measures. Over the last 4 years, the Safe Streets Madison program has completed over 150 projects across the city.  

Like several other major streets in Madison, East Washington is a state highway. On these streets, state approval is required for changes to street design, so the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is also a critical partner on street safety.   

The City is doing our part with engineering and enforcement. We need our whole community to be part of the solution by educating ourselves and each other about the dangers of speeding and reckless driving. Each of us can take action today to keep all our streets safer. We can choose to drive the speed limit, put down our phones, avoid distractions, and be alert while driving. We must respect pedestrians and do our part to keep them safe. And we can encourage our families, friends and neighbors to do the same. I urge every Madisonian to join me in keeping our community safe. Together, we can normalize safe driving and create a culture of safety all across our city."