Author: Chris Barncard

Huddle up for warmth, community, info

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date November 18, 2024

Here comes the snow

Whoever said, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes,” was not a year-round bicyclist. In the winter, small and medium and big weather issues can pile up atop the usual logistical challenges of two-wheeled travel to make the whole thing feel … bad.
The good news is, people who bike through the winter do not exactly mind talking about biking through the winter. And if you’re curious about pedaling in a fourth season, committed to making it work this year, or looking to join the choir to belt out a few carbide-studded bars of winter favorites, mark your calendar for one of these events featuring experienced guides, hot tips and some warming beverages:

Winter Biking Workshop
Thursday, Nov. 21, 6 to 7 p.m., at Cool Bikes North, 1861 Northport Drive
Assisting people who may be new to winter riding with guest presenters talking about the clothes, gear and bikes that can get you “through the winter in relative comfort and safety,” followed by Q&A. Free, but registration is requested.

Madison Bikes Winter Bike Social
Tuesday, Dec. 3, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Working Draft Beer Company, 1129 E. Wilson St.
An evening of fun and camaraderie for winter riding newbies, seasoned all-season pros and everything in-between. The Winter Bike Social is an opportunity to exchange knowledge about winter biking techniques, gear and fun. Check out what others are using to stay warm and safe on their rides, and maybe even get some new ideas for your own setup. Bring your bike and favorite piece(s) of winter gear.

Spread some good tidings

If you’re into doing good from the saddle, the holidays are a great time to volunteer and enjoy a ride. Consider adding Cranksgiving Madison — the Nov. 24 rally-style benefit for the Goodman Community Center’s Fritz Food Pantry — and/or Madison’s Santa Cycle Rampage — a costumed slow-roll ride raising funds for Dane County youth education programs on Dec. 14 — to your seasonal celebrations.

Meetings

This week in deliberating, the Madison Transportation Commission will meet virtually on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 5 p.m. Their agenda includes a handful of bicycle-relevant items, including:

Southwest Area Plan Open House

Tomorrow, Nov. 19, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Akira Toki Middle School, 5606 Russett Road, representatives of city departments like Planning, Engineering, Transportation and Parks will gather to discuss what’s taking shape in the early stages of the city’s plan for its Southwest Area, which extends south of the belt line between Fitchburg on the east and South High Point Road on the west. Residents, community organizations, businesses and other stakeholders are invited to share feedback.

Spotlighting some doers

Let’s close with a little bit of good-news catch-up, shall we? Please enjoy this Wisconsin State Journal story about the East High School Bike Repair Club, advised by past Madison Bikes board member Emily Sonneman.

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.

Bike News E-Mail Weekly Update

Film fest, Week Without Driving, lock ’em up

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date September 30, 2024

Out from behind the wheel

For those who are too young or too old to drive or disabled or unable to afford driving, even short trips around a car-focused community can be complicated, time-consuming and dangerous.

Week Without Driving, which begins today and runs through Oct. 6, is an annual opportunity to consider the challenges faced daily by people — more than 40% of Madison, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation — who cannot drive or choose not to drive.

Organizers America Walks and Disability Rights Washington say hundreds of public officials in 30 states participated in the week in 2023. Last week, Madison’s city council declared this to be Week Without Driving in Madison and encouraged all elected officials, staff
members, and Madison drivers to take part, noting that “having a variety of transportation options is crucial so that both people and businesses can have a transportation mode that works best for them when considering convenience, time, health, safety, cost, and
other factors.”

If you’re reading this, you’re probably also open to at least one alternative mode of transportation. But this is a good week to think hard about how you would get where you’re going without a car. How would that change your daily life? How should our community change to accommodate people for whom going car-free isn’t a thought exercise?

Roll that beautiful bike footage

There’s still room for you at Bicycle Film Festival Madison, an evening of short films on bicycling themes and a fundraiser for yours (Madison Bikes) truly, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, at the Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Ave.

The films — about bicycles supporting communities, families, identities, fading histories and more — include documentaries, narrative stories and animation from award-winning filmmakers.

More info and festival tickets here.

Meet up for pre-show camaraderie at 4:30 p.m. at Working Draft Beer Company, 1129 E. Wilson St. The Walking Jerk food truck will be on site to complement the beer and alcohol-free beverage options.

Stop the steals!

Annotated photo of parts of a black bicycle securely locked with a chain and a U-lock through a bike rack, the front wheel and the frame and a pedal — Solid! *Photo from UW–Madison guide to bike security.*

There may be no guaranteed way to prevent bike theft, according to UW–Madison Transportation Services, but there are ways to improve the odds that your ride will be right where you left it when you come back.

Are your lock skills getting rusty? Check out the university’s illustrated guide to theft prevention, which puts the use of various combinations of locks and other hardware on a scale from less to more secure and suggests other ways to keep your bicycle and gear in your own hands.

E-Mail Weekly Update

Drive ridden. Housing Week around the corner.

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date August 12, 2024

Back in a big way

Ride the Drive returned Sunday to some of Madison’s busiest streets, clearing the lanes to give more than 10,000 cyclists and pedestrians an opportunity to experience open streets and move at a more human pace through spaces typically dominated by car traffic.

Madison Bikes at Ride the Drive. Photo courtesy Robbie Webber.

The 4-mile route mostly along Monona Bay and Lake Monona was anchored in six park “hubs” that played host to bike-related and Madison Parks activities like ice cream, games, movies, paddling, coffee, playgrounds, clean energy and environmental outreach, garden walks, bike checks and safety info, music, tacos, books, cool water and more — almost anything you’d want to bike to or watch a kid do. And it happened in partnership with a raft of local businesses and organizations like Public Health Madison & Dane County, Madison School & Community Recreation, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, transit and utility agencies, arts groups, fraternal organizations, and nonprofits dedicated to biking, active outdoor recreation, reading, cancer research, social justice and more.

That is to say … it was kind of a big deal for an event balanced on skinny tires and walking shoes. Large thanks go out to hundreds of volunteers who kept a safe route, as well as to Madison Parks for organizing a fun day with such broad appeal.

Did you have a good time? Did you miss RTD this year, but hope it has a future despite uncertain city finances? Wouldn’t hurt to let Madison Parks know how you feel.

Parking in the park between Riding on the Drive. Photo courtesy Robbie Webber.

Housing (next) Week

Aug. 17 to 22 is Housing Week in Madison, putting a focus on the way population growth and development priorities are constricting access to homes for so many people in Madison and Dane County.

Presented by the Madison Housing Coalition — which includes Madison Bikes and many other groups working toward safe and livable cities — Housing Week offers and event or two each day covering aspects of problems in the Madison area and potential solutions.

Some highlights:

• Aug. 17, 3 p.m.: Missing Middle Walking Tour. Starting from Lapham Elementary, 1045 E. Dayton St., a 60-minute walk exploring “missing middle” (housing that falls between single-family and higher-density apartment buildings) in the Tenney-Lapham neighborhood.

Aug. 21, noon: Complete Neighborhoods, with the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission. Commission members address the importance of planning for a mix of housing in new and existing neighborhoods. On Zoom.

• Aug. 22, 6 p.m.: Dane County executive debate on housing issues, with general election candidates and Jason Joyce of Isthmus, at The Tinsmith, 828 E. Main St.

Bike News E-Mail Newsletter Weekly Update

New trails, lanes on the drawing board

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date June 24, 2024
1 Comment on New trails, lanes on the drawing board

Making happier trails to the west

Friends of the Great Sauk State Trail has posted a draft master plan for the trail, describing work in Sauk County to lay out extensions linking the Sauk Prairie segment of the trail to Devil’s Lake State Park and following the Baraboo River to the 400 State Trail near Reedsburg.

Maps, photos and more are now available on the Friends’ website.

Draft routes for the Great Sauk State Trail. Image from Friends of the Great Sauk State Trail.

Guide the Ride

Madison Parks is looking for volunteers for this year’s Ride the Drive, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 11.

“We’re seeking roughly 250 enthusiastic volunteers to help make this year’s Ride the Drive a success. It’s a fantastic way to support our healthy community and connect with your neighbors,” said John Weichelt, Parks Volunteer Coordinator.

Times are flexible, and roles are plentiful. More information here.

New bike lanes on Sheboygan Road. Photo courtesy Harald Kliems.

Today in new paint

Buffered bike lanes have been added on Sheboygan Avenue while construction progresses on that street and Segoe Road. Access is still limited while work continues, though.

The week ahead

Madison’s Transportation Commission meets virtually at 5 p.m. Wednesday with a few biking items on their agenda, including:

The Badger Rusk Shared-Use path, a 0.4-mile connector tying together existing paths on West Badger Road and North Rusk Avenue to be added while the city rebuilds West Badger Road east of the pedestrian bridge over the beltline.
An application for $2 million in federal grant funding intended to improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities along Park Street.
Funding for new stop sign paddles and bicycle traffic counters.

Municipal government: Catch the fever!

Save the date: Paddle and Pedal

Save the date for our July Community Event “Paddle and Pedal.” On July 22, join us at the Central Library for this great talk:

Going for a bike ride doesn’t have to be a loop around the lakes or farmland out in the countryside. Wisconsin has oodles of dedicated trails throughout the state — most of which cross over or even run alongside beautiful rivers. You’ve probably seen some of them, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to actually be on them? Local author and silent sports disciple Timothy Bauer will offer a fun and informative presentation on combining pedaling and paddling, along with helpful basics, tricks, and considerations to get things started. All are welcome, no experience necessary. We’ll have some drink and snacks available.

No RSVP required, but if you’re on Facebook, you can RSVP there to help us plan the snack situation. https://www.facebook.com/events/383927380855080/

Remember Bike Week? Remember Bike Week:

Assuming many bike-curious Madison residents caught a bit of two-wheeled fever during Madison Bike Week, there is still time to reflect on the experience and make the 2025 version even more virulent. Take the survey here to weigh in.

Bike News Newsletter Weekly Update

Here comes Bike Week

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date May 6, 2024

The Madison Bike Week calendar is filling up with great events stretching from June 1 to June 8. It’s time to double-check your own calendar to make sure a few of them are there — and maybe triple-check whether you’ve got something to add to the events.

A few to consider:

COOKIES. Do you already miss Girl Scout Cookies season? Here’s your chance for another thin mint, and for free (courtesy Girl Scout Troop 8267) on the Cap City Path at Jackson Street from 1 to 3 p.m. on June 1.

Explore another silent sport. Join Badger Rowing at their Porter Boathouse, 680 Babcock Drive, for a bagel-and-coffee refuel stop on the Lakeshore Path from 3 to 5 p.m. on June 4. Take a tour of the boathouse and try out some dry-land training under the supervision of people who use their arms — Can you imagine? — to get around.

Party at the Pump Track. Kick off the first day of summer vacation with Wisconsin Bike Fed and DreamBikes at the Aldo Leopold Park Pump Track, 2906 Traceway Drive, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 7. If you and yours have never tried — sounds like “shredded” is the appropriate terminology — a pump track, this is a great chance for beginners to get a few pointers or experienced riders to learn some new moves.

If you’d like to host an event like these, picture yourself on the calendar and check out the Madison Beer Week FAQ for registration info.

Southwest Bike Path closure

If you’re a regular on the Southwest Bike Path, you’ll have to skip a section near the UW–Madison campus this week. Construction crews will be removing a tower crane at 750 Regent St. That requires closing the bike path from East Campus Mall to West Washington Avenue. A posted detour will steer bicyclists around the closure via West Dayton Street.

It’s a pretty quiet week, otherwise. Other than a few showers in the forecast, a great time to get out for a ride!

Bike News Newsletter Weekly Update

Bicyclist killed in crash, West Area Plan, BCycle tour

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date March 18, 2024

The worst possible news on Friday: Around 6:20 p.m., according to the Madison Police Department, a 35-year-old man riding a bicycle was hit and killed by a driver on Lein Road near Parkside Drive. His name has not yet been released. The incident report says police impounded the vehicle believed to be involved and located its owner, but are still investigating.

The West Area Plan … area. (City of Madison map)

Comment on city planning

The public comment period for Madison’s West Area Plan — addressing future growth and development in the area enclosed by North and South Midvale boulevards, the beltline and Middleton — will be extended, according to the Department of Planning, Community & Economic Development, though a new end date has not been announced. Public input was to close on March 20, but a notably noisy public meeting on March 12 apparently signaled the need for more time for feedback.

While the recent meeting went off the rails over potential zoning changes, the plan addresses bicyclist and pedestrian safety that may benefit from continued supportive comments: new bike lanes and underpass improvements on several school routes, traffic-calming through street design and road narrowing on some of the area’s diciest thoroughfares, and the Sauk Creek Greenway shared-use path that has piqued the same sort of reactionary ire that packed the recent public meeting.

There are some pleasant things to share!

If you didn’t catch Madison resident Daniel Eckberg’s Isthmus essay on how much walkable and bikeable neighborhoods enrich the lives of the people who call it home, give it a quick read.

On foot or two wheels, “It’s amazing how much more you notice at that pace, how many hole-in-the-wall spots you find, how many hidden paths you uncover,” Eckberg writes.

If you have the choice, he figures, you ought to consider choosing a neighborhood friendly to walking and biking. Good advice! And enough — shouldn’t it be? — to spur us to make more of Madison just that kind of accessible for people who don’t have a choice.

BCycles at Tenney Park station. (Chris Barncard)

The bikes are back in town

If you were about town over the weekend, braving almost seasonably (for a change) brisk temperatures and wind, you may have noticed the return of bikes to many BCycle stations around Madison.

This Thursday, March 21, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., you can get a closer look at BCycle operations — covering topics like battery charging and bike safety — on a Madison Bikes tour of the bikeshare’s Madison facility, 312 N. 3rdSt. You can even join a group ride to BCycle, gathering at Law Park, 410 S. Blair St., at 4:30 p.m.

See you there!

Other items on the calendar:

March 18, 5:30 p.m.: Tancho Drive Public Path Information Meeting (via Zoom)

March 25, 6 p.m.: Madison Bikes Community Meeting “Vision Zero & Active Transportation Planning” with Renee Callaway, Madison Public Library Central Branch, 201 W. Mifflin St.

Weekly Update

Snow time like the present (for a bike ride)

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date January 29, 2024

A lone, smiling bicyclist rides from right to left along a snow-covered bike path lined by leafless trees and light poles — It’s just pretty out there, some of the time. (photo by Harald Kliems)

Nothing cuts the chill of winter quite like camaraderie. And a hot drink. And a fireplace. And getting the blood pumping by turning some pedals outdoors. And … you know, there are lots of ways to warm up your winter, especially if you’re willing to experiencing it on your bicycle.

Bring your bar mitts full of winter cycling joy and agony to a pair of Madison Bikes events on Feb. 9 to celebrate International Winter Bike Day:

Hot coffee and doughnuts — donated by Cafe Domestique — just off the Capital City Trail from 7 to 9 a.m. in the Monona Terrace parking lot near the bike elevator

A warm fire and happy hour hangout for winter biking commiserating from 4 to 6 p.m. at Working Draft Beer Company, 1129 E. Wilson St.

A group of bicyclists dressed for winter gathered on the snowy bike path, with Monona Terrace in the background — Winter Bike Day 2023 (photo courtesy Harald Kliems)

Bike Fitchburg will celebrate the slippery season earlier in the week, with bagels and coffee and light bike mechanical service at a commuter station from 7 to 9 a.m. at Velo UnderRound, the junction of the Capital City Trail, Badger and Military Ridge state trails and Cannonball and Southwest Commuter paths.

This Week

On Wednesday, Jan. 31, the Transportation Commission will meet virtually at 5 p.m. Their full agenda includes a long list of high-profile projects looming in the city’s near future, including adoption of the the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan — with its underpass routing cyclists and pedestrians beneath John Nolen Drive — and a presentation on the pilot project that would turn about three blocks of State Street into a pedestrian mall.

Map of I-39/90/94, with several corrsings and potential crossings highlighted because the city wants to impress the importance of bike and ped infrastructure improvements at those sites upon DOT planners. — Many I-39/90/94 crossings

The Commission will also take up the state Department of Transportation’s planned study and reconstruction of Interstate 39/90/94 through the city’s east side, considering an endorsement of prioritizing safe connections for pedestrians and bicyclists across the rebuilt highway.

There are 17 crossings and potential new crossings of I-39/90/94 as it passes Madison, and the mayor and a group of city council members have proposed a list prioritizing the city’s concerns. Topping the charts are Milwaukee Street’s narrow and entirely sidewalk-less overpasses and a long-anticipated connection linking the Capital City and Glacial Drumlin state trails south of East Buckeye Road.

But wait, there’s more. The commission will peruse the annual report on Vision Zero Madison, the initiative to eliminate all fatal and serious injury crashes on city streets by 2035 (which just released its first quarterly newsletter of 2024), and the Northeast Area plan, which points out 10 sites for intersection improvements and planned infrastructure to address a “fragmented” bike network.

If you’re into paving, there are a pair of 2024 resurfacing projects ready for public information meetings:

Jan. 30, 5:30 p.m.: North Franklin and Stevens streets

Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m.: West Washington and Henry streets

Take this week with a conservative application of salt, and wheel into the next ready to celebrate cycling in the snow.

Newsletter Weekly Update

Yes, Virginia, there are road diets.

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date December 11, 2023
1 Comment on Yes, Virginia, there are road diets.

This week, consider giving the gift of your input on city transportation projects and planning. But first, the rampaging:

Wisconsin Bike Fed’s Santa Cycle Rampage rolled through the Isthmus on Saturday, bringing cheer to all the good children and cargo-bike-adapted dogs. The event put a bow on many a newscast, because the only thing more fun than riding in an itchy, fur-trimmed hat is watching scores of Santas pedal by.

Mineral Point widened sidewalk: It’s happening!

The Common Council last week made a final decision on the fate of the widened sidewalk along the north side of Mineral Point Road (for details, see last week’s action alert). After much public comment and debate, the Council did the right thing: Alder Figueroa Cole made a motion to adopt the Transportation Commission’s proposal (i.e. 8-10 ft of sidewalk along the whole stretch, except along Nautilus Point Park, where a separate path will be built). This resolution passed 13-4-1 (yes/no/abstain). Thanks to everyone who emailed the council or spoke at the meeting. Consider sending your alder a note of appreciation if they voted in favor.

YES

D1 Duncan
D2 Bennett
D3 Field
D4 Verveeer
D5 Vidaver
D6 Rummel
D8 Govindarajan
D10 Figueroa Cole
D14 Knox Jr
D15 Martinez-Rutherford
D16 Currie
D18 Myadze
D20 Harrington-McKinney

D7 Wehelie
D9 Conklin
D11 Tishler
D19 Slack

ABSTAIN

D12 Latimer Burris

EXCUSED

D13 Evers
D17 Madison

West Area Plan

The 10-year guide to land use, transportation, parks and open space for the chunk of the Madison bounded by Midvale Boulevard and the Beltline comes before three city commissions this week. The plan includes the Sauk Creek Corridor’s contentious bike path, a road diet with lane reductions for portions of Gammon and Old Sauk roads — with space to be repurposed for a side path and added buffering for bike lanes — and new connections between dead-end streets and establishing rights of way for potential future public roads. Nick Davies posted a brief summary on the Madison Bikes Facebook group.

The three commissions (with links to agendas and virtual meetings) on the calendar are:

Plan Commission, 5:30 p.m. today, Dec. 11

Transportation Commission, 5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 13

Board of Park Commissioners, 6:30 p.m., also Wednesday, Dec. 13

The Transportation Commission will also consider plans for the reconstruction of East Wilson Street, scheduled for 2024, which could include a two-way, sidewalk-level bicycle path on the south side of the street. Details (in a pdf) here.

More holiday diet discussion

Mineral Point Road is scheduled for resurfacing in 2024 from its eastern origin at Speedway Road and Glenway Street to its intersection with Midvale Boulevard, work that may include a road diet that would remove street parking and add bike lanes.

Madison Bikes wants your input on events

The Madison Bikes board meets today from 6 to 8 p.m., in the virtual way (Zoom link here).

More importantly, you are invited to join an in-person community meeting for 2024 event planning, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday in Room 104 of the Madison Public Library’s Central Branch, 201 W. Mifflin St. It’s an opportunity to brainstorm and begin planning events for next year’s calendar:

We want to hear from you! Do you have a specific bike-related skill you can share with the Madison Bikes community? Are you interested in volunteering to teach a class or lead a ride? Sign up to share your expertise (or the thing you wish you knew) on a topic related to biking that will benefit our community! Also, there will be pizza.

Yes, there will be pizza. Diets are for roads.

Newsletter Weekly Update

Bikeways projects, Mineral Point Rd meeting, ‘Street Project’ movie around the corner

Post author By Chris Barncard
Post date October 23, 2023

Madison’s Transportation Commission meets at 5 p.m. Wednesday to take up an agenda that includes a pair of Bikeways 2023 projects. The Bikeways program covers “small improvements and repairs to the city bike network,” and the projects up for review fit the bill. Each is just a skinny block long and meant to ease bikes past higher-traffic interruptions in otherwise lower-traffic routes.

One of the two projects — both scheduled for construction in 2024 — would add an off-street bike path along Seminole Highway between Manitou Way and McCaffrey Drive, providing an easier entrance to the UW Arboretum. The other project would reconfigure West Lakeside Street between Gilson and Rowell streets, removing street parking on the south side of West Lakeside and replacing it with an off-street, two-way bike path close by Franklin Elementary School, Bernie’s Beach Park and Goodman Pool.

This stretch may be fresh in the minds of bicyclists, as it was part of a detour last week while the Cap City Trail was closed for repairs along the John Nolen Drive causeway. Here’s a reminder that after a break for the weekend, those repairs restart for the work week, and this portion of the Cap City is to be closed again Monday, Oct. 23, through Friday, Oct. 27. The detour will get even more use in the planned future, when it’s time to replace John Nolen bridges.

Mineral Point Road “Widened Sidewalk” meeting tomorrow

If you missed Craig’s in-depth post on the Mineral Point Rd project yesterday, here’s a reminder that a public meeting on the project is taking place on Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30pm. The meeting will be in person at Vel Philips Memorial High School; a Zoom option is available.

More on the calendar

Today, Bike Fitchburg meets at 7 p.m. at Osprey Apartments, 5118 Lacy Road in Fitchburg.

Wednesday: District 11 Alder Bill Tishler is hosting a book discussion of “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World” at Sequoya Library from 7 to 8pm.

Saturday, there is a Bike Trials Competition at Mountain Road Farm in Excelsior.

Monday, Oct. 30, Madison Bikes, the Wisconsin Student Planning Association, and the Wisconsin chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism present “The Street Project,” a story about humanity’s relationship to the streets and the global citizen-led fight to make communities safer, at 6 p.m. in the Marquee Cinema at Union South, 1308 W. Dayton St. Before the film screening is a happy hour at 5 p.m. in The Sett Pub, also at Union South. After it, a panel discussion. Admission is free, but please RSVP here.