'Please slow down' signs handed out by 'Neighbors for a safe Bay Shore Drive', May 19, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Residents are calling for improved safety conditions on a stretch of road in Door County, saying some drivers are going far too fast.
Bay Shore Drive covers 13 miles between Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor. Jay Walters said the roadway is unsafe for everyone.
“The more I looked into it, there wasn’t really anything being done about it, and so, I felt I needed to be proactive and take initiative and try to see if I could make something happen,” he said.
Walters founded Neighbors For a Safe Bay Shore Drive last October. The group, which started with just two members, has grown to nearly 60.
“The biggest challenge is really just getting people aware that there’s an issue. That’s the thing we’ve run into, is people don’t realize there is an issue here,” said Walters.
Walters also purchased and installed his own radar speed sign. The posted speed limits on Bayshore Drive are 35 and 45 mph. Walters said data from his radar sign shows drivers are often going between 60-80 mph — although he claimed he has seen speeds as high as 130 mph.
With heavy summer traffic anticipated to be right around the corner, Walters said there’s a sense of urgency.
“When July comes, it’s 1,400 vehicles going down this road per day,” he said.
“Memorial Day is this weekend, so this is the perfect time to really get out and get this awareness out throughout the county. Whatever we can do to really slow it down and keep people safe and keep our vacationers safe and keep people from our own community safe,” said Kyle Veeser, chief deputy of the Door County Sheriff’s Office.
DCSO is working with the Neighbors For a Safe Bay Shore Drive organization, with Veeser commending its forward-thinking approach.
“Unfortunately, we’re not able to be here all the time, so it really is a culture change. Usually, we’re being reactive, proactive. It’s the best thing we can do,” he said.
Changing a culture isn’t easy, but Walters said the community is supportive.
The Door County Highway Department is doing work on Bay Shore Drive. Lanes will be narrowed to 10 feet to create extra room on the shoulder for pedestrians and bikers.
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