Wisconsin DOT and Mayor Cavalier Johnson partner with Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis to help end reckless driving

The state Department of Transportation and Mayor Cavalier Johnson launched a partnership with Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis on Thursday, which will campaign to put an end to reckless driving in the city.

A record 107 people were killed on city streets in 2020, followed by 87 deaths in 2021 and at least 62 so far this year.

Officials have taken steps to address the problem, including implementing a tow policy in May. Milwaukee police now tow unregistered vehicles that have engaged in at least one of four infractions: reckless driving, speeding 25 mph above the limit, fleeing police or racing. Earlier this month, police announced they have towed 100 vehicles in roughly five months.

In July, the city of Milwaukee sued a repeat reckless driver, which was considered an unprecedented move. Johnson has also called for universal driver's education courses at Milwaukee Public Schools, which he wants funded by insurance companies.

Traffic safety and calming measures also have been implemented. The city Department of Public Works continues to institute "rapid implementation projects," which uses posts and bright pavement markings to construct wider curbs and pedestrian islands at dangerous intersections.

Other street implementations include road diets, which is a strategy that aims to reduce lane widths, or eliminate a lane of vehicle traffic altogether, with more parking or bike and bus lanes added in its place. Also, more bike infrastructure has repeatedly been called for by residents as a way to help slow down or deter reckless driving.

Johnson also signed legislation earlier this year aimed at setting a goal of zero traffic fatalities in the city. The framework, which views all traffic deaths as preventable, is called "Vision Zero."

On Thursday, state Secretary of Transportation Craig Thompson unveiled a new campaign ad featuring Portis.

"WisDOT is working hand-in-hand with the city of Milwaukee to find the best approaches to reduce speed and encourage safe travel for all of our road users in our community, and our new ad campaign is just one way of doing that," Thompson said.

Johnson said the city and the state need all the help they can get. "I'm glad we have a new compelling partner here, fellow mayor even in Bobby Portis," Johnson said, playing on the running joke that Portis is mayor of Milwaukee after becoming a fan favorite on the basketball court.

For Portis, this is personal. "Obviously, I've lost a lot of people to reckless driving," Portis said. "A lot of my friends used to love riding motorcycles and things like that. ... I lost a couple friends with that. I lost a couple family members with driving recklessly and things like that. So obviously this kind of hits home, so it's the perfect partnership."

Thompson said the partnership with Portis will allow the department to reach new people who "look up to" Portis, literally and figuratively.

The ad features Portis and his little brother playing one-on-one with a voiceover of Portis asking people to slow down and drive responsibility. The slogan "control your drive" is featured prominently throughout the ad.

The 30-second video was played as part of Thursday's press conference, but Portis wasn't able to see it from where he was sitting so he asked organizers to play it again while he took a seat in the audience.

This new partnership is just another instance where Portis is inserting himself within the community since signing a new four-year contract with the Bucks. Earlier this year, VISIT Milwaukee announced a partnership with Portis, basically making him the "face of the city."

Starting Friday, the ad will be played at Bucks games, online and on social media.

Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis partners to help end reckless driving