Last week was a busy week for bicycling in Madison!
On Sunday, we had our last bicycle book club installment for “Killed by a Traffic Engineer.” If you missed it, you can read or listen to this story from WORT-FM to find out more information.
There was a lot of action around the repaving/reworking of a lengthy stretch of Midvale Boulevard. Most of this was driven by the raucous public meeting from the week before. With all of the feedback and attention, the city has decided to postpone the work to spring 2026. For a nice overview and some extra context, check out this great Cap Times article.
Sun Prairie was awarded a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists. You can read the press release from Sun Prairie Moves for the details. Going from Honorable Mention in 2015 to Silver in 2025 is a great accomplishment! Congratulations to everyone involved!
In the Madison Bikes Slack, board member Craig Weinhold noted that last Tuesday the City of Madison held their first all-transportation department meeting in six years. I wonder what could have triggered that? You can watch the entire session on YouTube and maybe find out!
This Week
On Wednesday at 6:30 PM, the Board of Park Commissioners will meet virtually. On the agenda are first details of the proposed sidewalk and path improvements for the John Nolen Drive path so get a sneak peak:
On Friday, celebrate International Winter Bike Day with us!
- From 7-9 am: We will be at the Monona Terrace on the Cap City Trail serving up free coffee (courtesy of Cafe Domestique) and doughnuts!
- From 4-6 pm: Happy hour at Working Draft (1129 E Wilson St.). Come grab a drink and hang out! Don’t forget your bicycle benefits sticker for 10% off.
For more details I guess you can look at the Facebook event, but only if you’re still clinging to a FB account. Otherwise, tough luck I guess? I’m not bitter, really!
The City has started work to redesign and rethink Mifflin Plaza. This is the underutilized area at the top of State Street, sometimes used for festivals/concerts. It also serves as an important ped, bike and bus thoroughfare. Some of the options include exploring a pedestrian mall, which would be a big shift. The schedule shows arriving at a final design plan by September. That means that now’s a good opportunity to read up on the design considerations and complete the survey.
Pretty much unrelated to anything, but I watched the 2005 film A Bittersweet Life by Kim Jee-woon and found this surprising moment. Transportation policy strife transcends borders and time!
Coming Up
I’m already looking forward to Thursday, February 20 and a virtual lunch session led by Dr. Yang Tao, Director of Traffic Engineering, “Prioritizing Traffic Safety for All Road Users: D7 Virtual Lunch and Learn with Traffic Engineering.”
Alder Nasra Wehelie [D7] is excited to continue her Lunch and Learn session for this month, featuring Traffic Engineering on Thursday, February 20, from 12 to 1 p.m. Whether you drive, bike, or walk, this virtual Lunch and Learn will offer residents a unique opportunity to gain insights into traffic safety and infrastructure planning.
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.
Thanks to our sponsors who make our events possible!
