Month: June 2022

Path detour on University Ave Path finally over

A construction project by the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage is finally coming to a close. The closure of the University Ave path segment through Indian Hills Park led to an inconvenient detour, but now the new path has been paved:

Some construction is still ongoing, and so use caution in the area.

BCycle issues

Madison BCycle continues to be hugely popular, with more people than ever riding the shared e-assist bikes. The Cap Times reports that this popularity may have come with downsides: An increase in technical malfunctions to the bikes and docks.

BCycle recently confirmed that the electric assist on some bikes can fail when customers attempt to engage it on their ride. Though the feature makes cycling less labor-intensive for most users, the company claims electric assist malfunctions “(do) not compromise the safety of riding e-bikes.”

General manager Helen Bradley said the company plans to address the issue within two to three weeks.

If you encounter an issue with a bike or dock, you can call or text BCycle at (800) 473-4743 or email them at info@madisonbcycle.com.

Hit-and-run in Waunakee

A driver struck and injured someone riding a bike in Waunakee on Highway 113 on June 17 and then drove away. Waunakee police are looking for help locating the car, a red BMW. NBC15 reports:

The agency sent out an alert through the Wisconsin Department of Justice regarding the alleged hit-and-run that took place around 9:40 p.m. on June 17 on the 5700 block of State Highway 113.

The vehicle believed to be involved is a maroon or red BMW 5 Series sedan, model 2012 or newer, according to the police department.

The agency said the sedan was going northbound on State Highway 113 when it struck a bicyclist who was also going northbound, causing the BMW’s passenger-side mirror to break off.

Authorities say the suspect vehicle then swerved into the southbound lane of traffic and collided with a vehicle driving southbound, causing the driver’s side-view mirror of the BMW to break off. The suspect vehicle stopped for a moment and then continued driving northbound, Waunakee PD stated.

The bicyclist received a minor injury from the crash, police noted.

Anyone with information on this incident should call Waunakee PD at (608) 849-4523.

NBC 15

Public input meeting for Bay Creek bike improvements (June 28)

The city is proposing several improvements to the bike network in the Bay Creek area. There will be a public input meeting on Tuesday, June 28.

The improvements include a better connection from the bike boulevard on West/South Shore to the Wingra Creek Path, as well as improvements to the boulevard itself: Possibly diverters that would stop drivers from using the street as a through route, curb bump-outs, and turn restrictions.

The meeting will start at 6pm and is virtual. You can sign up here: June 28, 2022 Public Information Meeting Registration 

Madison Women’s Cycling Club

Madison has lots of group rides. One of them is the Madison Women’s Cycling Club’s ride, which take place every Tuesday at 6pm.

Madison Women’s Cycling Club rides are back for the season! We leave from Olbrich Park (the Biergarten parking lot) at 6pm most Tuesdays (the exception being our rotating monthly Taco Tuesday). Details at our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422391611714723. We’re also on Instagram @madisonwomenscyclingclub

We’re an all-ages, all-abilities, all-bodies-on-bikes group that welcomes women/femme/trans/non-binary. We’re also the longest-running active women+ group in the area! 

We’re always happy to feature regular or irregular group rides in our email updates! Just let us know about them.

As always, you can find an overview of all bike events on our Community Bike Calendar. Email us at info@madisonbikes.org to add your events. And if you value our newsletter and other work, consider donating to Madison Bikes. For construction updates, check out the city’s Bike Madison page.

It’s impossible to start this update without addressing the tragedy that occurred last Tuesday, June 7. At about 4 AM, Taylor Dunn was riding his bicycle to work when he was struck and killed by an intoxicated motorist at the intersection of Mineral Point Road and High Point Road. A vigil was held, and a ghost bike was placed to create a memorial for Taylor. A GoFundMe was created to help with funeral costs. That this happened during Bike Week was a reminder that despite the progress we’ve made in helping Madison become a city where anyone can ride a bicycle conveniently and comfortably to any place year round, there’s still a lot of work to be done.

This Week

On Wednesday, June 15, Darbo Council and BikEquity will be hosting a community bike repair and bike ride event. This event will take place starting at 5 PM at Worthington Park on Madison’s east side. Madison365 has a nice article highlighting the event.

On Friday, June 17, Madison will be closing Vilas Park Drive to through motor vehicle traffic. Starting at 4 PM, cars and trucks will no longer be allowed on the section of VPD between the bridge at Edgewood Avenue and the entrance to the Vilas Park Shelter parking lot. An event was created to help celebrate this positive change for people using the park outside of motor vehicles.

As always, you can find an overview of all bike events on our Community Bike Calendar. Email us at info@madisonbikes.org to add your events. And if you value our newsletter and other work, consider donating to Madison Bikes. For construction updates, check out the city’s Bike Madison page.

This Week

Aside from the dozens of Madison Bike Week events, this week there are a few city meetings we’ll mention up front.

On Monday at 5pm the Transportation Policy and Planning Board is meeting with a light agenda that includes consideration to adopt the Metro Network Redesign Plan. The outcome of this will be presented at the Common Council meeting on Tuesday. Watch online or in person.

On Tuesday at 8am, attend a Bike Week-themed press conference and, afterwards, a short ride led by the Mayor. It’s all happening in front of the Madison Municipal Building at 215 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, right off the square. Come on down and support Bike Week!

On Tuesday at 6:30pm the Common Council meets virtually (agenda). Lots of minor business items but the aforementioned Metro Network Redesign is on the agenda. Maybe a Bike Week proclamation too?!

On Wednesday at 5pm the Transportation Commission will meet virtually (agenda). On the agenda will be review and presentation of feedback on the West Towne Path Phase 3 and West Main St Bike Blvd Improvements projects that we’ve covered previously.

Bike Week is Underway!

Bike Week’s been going for a couple days and people have been out and about enjoying it already, with events like the Trek Pride Ride on Saturday and “Biscuits 4 Bikers” from GRiT on Sunday.

Bus Tracker

An annual tradition returns! Look out for the four city buses with our Bike Week ad on the side. You can track where they are in real-time using this map.

Event Info

There are a bunch of ways to get at all of the upcoming Bike Week event information! Here are a few options, depending on your preferences:

• Daily Event List
• Big Interactive Map
• PDF to download (suitable for printing or stashing on your phone)
• iOS and Android apps (search for “Madison Bike Week 2022” once installed)
• Sync to your Apple, Google, Microsoft calendars

And if that still isn’t enough for you, Harald has graciously written up a day-by-day summary of events still-to-come that you can read as well. Enjoy!

Monday, June 6

• The City of Middleton is hosting a bike station with coffee and refreshments all week from 6:30 to 8:30 AM, Old Middleton @ Stonefield Rd.
• Monday 40 will be hosting a fun, party-paced ride around Lake Monona. Meet at Orton Park, 6 PM sharp roll-out.

Tuesday, June 7: Numbers Don’t Go that High

• The City of Middleton is hosting a bike station with coffee and refreshments all week from 6:30 to 8:30 AM, Old Middleton @ Stonefield Rd.
• The Cargo Bike Shop once again is serving Waffles on the Bike Path. Cap City Trail at S Dickinson, 6:30 to 8:30 AM.
• Madison Bike Week sponsor Slow Roll Cycles is joining forces with The Meat People Butcher and Crema Cafe for an eastside morning pit stop with coffee, breakfast, and bike checks. Lake Edge Shopping Center, 7 to 9:30 AM.
• Bike Fitchburg is hosting their Commuter Station at the Velo UnderRound, 7 to 9AM.
• At 8 AM, you can ride with Madison Bikes and Mayor Satya. Meet at the Madison Municipal Building and show your support for biking.
• In the afternoon, at 3 PM come to Fire Station #9 on the west side for a bike station sponsored by Hill Farms Neighborhood residents and Madison Bikes.
• Same time, but on the east side: The FairShare Coalition is hosting a snack stop on the Cap City Trail at Dickinson.
• And yet another event starting at 3PM: Come to the Lussier Community Education Center for free bike repairs and education.
• GRiT stands for Girls Riding Together, an initiative to get more girls and women involved in mountain biking. Come to Sheehan Park in Sun Prairie at 5:30 PM for a free clinic for girls and women to try out mountain biking.
• The day closes with a Tuesday Night Ride by the Madison Women’s Cycling Club. Meet at the Olbrich Beer Garden at 6 PM for a beginner-friendly, all ages ride. Open to all WTFnB (women, trans, femme, non-Binary).

Wednesday, June 8: Another Overstuffed Day

• The City of Middleton is hosting a bike station with coffee and refreshments all week from 6:30 to 8:30 AM, Old Middleton @ Stonefield Rd.
• Donuts, donuts, everywhere: Madison Bike Week sponsor Schwinn Bikes will have a Donut Pit Stop at their HQ on the Southwest Path, 7 to 9 AM.
• Also serving donuts is Machinery Dough-uh-Row Cycles. At Machinery Row on the Cap City, 7:30 AM until the donuts are gone
• On the Starkweather Creek Park at Commercial, the Eken Park Neighborhood Association is serving breakfast to go from 7 to 10 AM.
• Black Saddle Bikes invites you to have Coffee Outside at the Tenney Park Pavilion, 7:30 to 9:30 AM. Bring your own coffee-making gadgets, or just a cup.
• Be a car-free superstar! On the Cap City at E Wilson/Ingersoll, RoundTrip, Metro Transit and Vision Zero are celebrating car-free travel with bike and bus giveaways! 3 to 6 PM.
• The Boys & Girls Club is kicking of their Move4BGC campaign from 4:30 to 6:30 PM with a happy hour at LJ’s Sports Tavern.
• It’s Pride Month. Join the inaugural Monthly Queer Bike Ride. Meet at the BCycle Station in Law Park for a ride down the Capital City Trail, a stop in Fitchburg for some food and fun. All Queer, LGBTQ+ people of any body type or ability are welcome!
• And over in Sun Prairie, Bikes, Brats & Brews is back! Wheels down at 6pm for a 5-25 mile ride; brats start at 7 PM.

Thursday, June 9: Mix-and-match your faves from the 8 options

• The City of Middleton is hosting a bike station with coffee and refreshments all week from 6:30 to 8:30 AM, Old Middleton @ Stonefield Rd.
• Short Stack Eatery is teaming up with Wheels for Winners and DreamBikes for free bike safety checks and coffee. At Short Stack Eatery from 7 to 9 AM.
• More ??: Griessmeyer Law and RaceDay Events will serve coffee and donuts on the Badger State Trail at Sub Zero Parkway. 7:30 to 10:30 AM.
• It’s Grand Opening Day for our friends at the Madison Bicycle Center! Take a tour of their awesome downtown space and enjoy some food and drinks. 4 to 7 PM.
• Monona Bank is hosting a pit stop with free goodie bags on the Cap City at Amoth Ct. 4 to 6 PM.
• Madison Bike Week sponsor Madison BCycle presents their 16 brand new Art Bikes at Garver Feed Mill. Talk to the artists, sponsors, and non-profits involved between 4:30 and 6:30 PM.
• Watch out for Madison Bike sponsor Slow Roll Cycle’s tent at the Muskelle Lounge (Monona Dr and Buckeye). Happy hour tokens and swag from 4:30 to 6 PM.
• And at 6 PM get out your tandem (or whatever you have) for Tandem Thursday, a social ride to the Hop Garden in Paoli.

Friday, June 10

• It’s your last chance to enjoy the City of Middleton’s bike station with coffee and refreshments from 6:30 to 8:30 AM, Old Middleton @ Stonefield Rd.
• Are you tired of ? yet? Yeah, we didn’t think so. Free Bike 4 Kidz Madison will serve coffee, donuts, and (for kidz only) Culver’s coupons on the Lake Loop/Cap City junction from 7 to 9:30 AM.
• FairShare CSA Coalition will have another snack stop on the Cap City at Paterson, 7:30 to 9:30 AM.
• And once again: Madison Bikes is throwing a party in Brittingham Park. Join us for a celebration of Bike Week, with DJ, drinks, bike repair, tabling, and more. At and around Brittingham Park Shelter from 4 to 7 PM.
• After the party is before the after-party: Madison Bike Week sponsor Madison Cycle Works is hosting an after-party bike ride, 9 PM at Brittingham Park.

Saturday, June 11: Camping, camping, and soccer.

• Get our your ⛺️ and camping gear out and join Solarpunk Travel for an easy 11-mile bike ride to McCarthy County Park. Camp at the group camp site and ride back the next day. Meet at Willy Street Park (1002 Williamson) at 11:30 AM.
• Your other camping option: Family Bike Camping with The Cargo Bike Shop. Bring the kids and ride 7 miles to the group camp site at Lake Farms County Park. Depart at the Cargo Bike Shop at noon.
• Are you into soccer and/or want to support the work of our friends at DreamBikes? $5 of every ticket sold for the Madison v Greenville game will go to DreamBikes. Kickoff at 7 PM at Breese Stevens. Ticket link here.

As always, you can find an overview of all bike events on our Community Bike Calendar. Email us at info@madisonbikes.org to add your events. And if you value our newsletter and other work, consider donating to Madison Bikes. For construction updates, check out the city’s Bike Madison page.