The past week:
It’s a slow week ahead, but it’s been an exciting past week. A number of new piece of infrastructure are either open or in place. Take a look at the video on the MB Facebook group to check out the new bridges in Vilas Park. The new version of the path through Crazy Legs Plaza – at the intersection of Monroe and Regent – is now open. Users report it is a good design and easy to negotiate. An improved curb cut at the Capital City Path and Dunning – by the Harmony Bar – will make the diagonal crossing better.
The first meeting of both the new transportation committees happened when they met in joint session this past Tuesday. The Transportation Commission – which is the one that is supposed to deal with the implementation and day-to-day decisions for our transportation system – will meet again this coming week and then again on August 22. It is unclear if the two city committees will continue to meet jointly for awhile, or if they have set future meetings for the Transportation and Planning Board – the more long range-looking body. There are no meetings for that body on the city calendar at this time. Also, two if the committees that are no longer meeting – the Pedestrian/Bicycle/Motor Vehicle Commission and the Transit and Parking Commission – had their meetings televised on cable and streamed on the city website. No word if the city will stream the new transportation bodies’ meetings as well.
The week ahead:
Tuesday the Madison Bikes Communications Committee will meet at 5:30 pm at Memorial Union. We normally meet just outside the beer window by the Stiftskeller. If the weather is bad, we’ll be in the Stiftskeller. Come on by to say hello or to help out with outreach and communications.
Wednesday the new Transportation Commission will meet for the second time. Mostly, they will be going over basic business such as electing a chair and vice-chair. But they will also have a staff presentation about the structure of the various components of the city transportation divisions. So if you want to know who does what, you can attend at 5:00 pm in Room 201 of the City-County Building.
Saturday the August MadTown Unity Ride will take place starting at 10 am and leaving from the Villager Mall. This is a slow family ride through the south side of Madison. The distance will be between 7 and 10 miles. If you don ‘t have a bike or helmet, you can borrow one during the ride.
The target audience for these rides is Black, Brown, Indigenous people of color, LGBT+ community, the Senior community and other communities that have been affected by discrimination who live or work in a predominantly low-to moderate-income community in the Madison Southside. We use these rides as a vehicle to increase social cohesion at the neighborhood level, as well as highlight the assets and inequities which exist in neighborhoods across the Madison Southside.