On Wednesday at 5:30 PM, attend an in-person public meeting at the Holt Center discussing future lighting and paving options for the Temin Lakeshore Path. This is a surprisingly contentious issue for a path that’s so heavily used, but there are a lot of stakeholders.You can read an excellent writeup of the issue over at the Cap Times.
Different options that will be presented for the path surface and lighting. Image: Cap Times/JCAC
A brief note that the Winter Bike Fashion Show, originally scheduled for November 17th, has been cancelled for this year. Can we agree to just cancel winter altogether?
A minor path detour to note: the SW Commuter Path is closed for a few days between Midvale Blvd and Hiawatha for some concrete work. There’s a short (but relatively hilly) detour; the same detour was used a few years back for a much longer time when reconstructing the stormwater management along the path.
For timely notification about detours like this and many other updates that we don’t cover individually here, subscribe to the Bike Madison mailing list. Or just follow the detour signs when you see them, that’s cool too.
Two cyclists, perhaps riding a Wingra “Lake Loop” on Vilas Park Dr (Cyclists of Madison)
This Week
Waucheeta Connector Open
What is it about riding along and around lakes? There’s something undeniably satisfying about it, and because the Madison area is defined by its lakes, some of our most-traveled routes involve these sorts of circumnavigations.
Dane County Parks has entered the chat
A handy little connector path from the Lower Yahara River Trail (near Lussier Center) to Waucheeta Trail is now open and it provides convenient access to Capital Springs State Recreation Area, the Waubesa Beach Neighborhood, Goodland County Park and Christy’s Landing and helps cyclists avoid busy Lake Farm Rd. In the longer term, it works towards our goal of a safe and comfortable cycling “Lake Loop” around Lake Waubesa.
Sam and his dad Chick will share about their 3,600 mile journey from Oregon to New Jersey on bicycles. Over 42 days, they pushed through harrowing weather, crossed mountains, and stopped at lots and lots of gas stations. Bike touring comes with many unexpected twists and turns, requiring them to repair their bikes along the way, and care for each other as challenges arose. Join us for an evening of storytelling and education that you won’t forget!
On Friday evening, take advantage of this unseasonable warm and dry weather (yes, I just jinxed it) and join the ¡Pick Me Up at the Border! ride in support of our sister-organization Bike Fitchburg. The ride gathers in Fitchburg at 6:30 PM and is followed by a mass start at 7 PM. Choose your own distance and bring your lights because even though it feels like July, the sun is still going down like it’s mid-September! $15 donation.
Mode Share Analysis
In his blog post, Harald goes deep into an analysis of the Madison area commute mode share numbers from 2023. Spoiler-alert — not much has changed from the 2022 numbers, but read on for his thoughtful analysis of the trends and what to make of them.
Next Week
On Wednesday, September 25 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM, plan to attend our community event where we will conduct a casual tour/audit of Regent Bike/Walk capabilities followed by a social hour at watering hole TBD. This is our first step preparing for a process where Regent St will be rebuilt by the City. We have an opportunity to provide input and otherwise get our ducks in a row. Expect to hear more about this event soon!
Last Week
West and Northeast Area Plans adopted
Last Tuesday, the Common Council approved both the West and Northeast Area Plans, the latter, with an amendment to remove the Nakoosa Trail road extension near Sycamore Park. These plans project out the next 10-30 years of transportation, zoning, land use, parks, etc. The bike network maps are linked below. Remember that nothing in the plan has budget, timeline, or even a guarantee. In fact, we’re still waiting on items from the 1991 and 1997 plans!
West Area Plan Shared-Use Path & Bicycle Network (City of Madison)Northeast Area Plan Shared-Use Path & Bicycle Network (City of Madison)
The City has ten (!) more area plans to do, roughly at the rate of two per year and next up are the Southwest and Southeast Area Plans. Be sure to sign up for project updates, especially if you live or visit those areas.
Olin-Turville Detour
Last week, Harald mentioned the that Olin-Turville section of the Lake Monona “Lake Loop” would be under construction until the end of October. He has since posted a video showing what it’s like to ride the detour, if you’re curious. The detour will be in place until work completes in late October.
It’s largely reruns during this summer filled with big construction projects and some big long-term planning ongoing.
Ride the Drive 2024 is only two weeks away and they’re looking for volunteers. It should be a fun time and we’re glad to see it come back after a hiatus.
My brother-in-law Vince at Ride the Drive 2019
Still working their way through the legislative system are the West and Northeast Area Plans. With respect to the West Area Plan, the City sent an email this morning that sums up the review process better than I could:
West Area Plan Review Process
West Area Plan review continues this week with the Transportation Commission at 5pm on Wednesday, July 31. Other scheduled board/committee/commission review meetings are:
Residents may provide written comments at any time. All meetings are virtual, except for the Council meeting, which is hybrid. Instructions to listen to the meetings and provide comments are available via the links above. Residents wishing to speak at a meeting may register once the agenda is published – typically the Friday before the meeting.
For the Northeast Plan, a similar trajectory awaits. I don’t get the feeling that the City plays favorites, so they likely sent an email just like the above for this plan, but I’m not subscribed to updates on that region. According to the website, it’s up for review and discussion at all the same meetings and commissions.
The end is in sight but your comments are still vital! In particular, this week’s TC meeting has been targeted by opponents of the bike paths in the Sauk Creek Greenway. These paths were originally part of the West Area Plan and intended to provide important north-south and east-west connections, especially to the Alicia Ashman Library, Memorial HS, the Lussier Center, and the neighborhoods in general.
The N-S path was removed from the draft plan by Alder Conklin (District 9) after she was harangued by constituents about perceived loss of trees in the greenway. The E-W path remains in the plan, but groups are organizing against that as well.
Anyone should feel free to send comments about either of these plans, especially with regards to needed connections or elements they want to see or feel good are included. The easiest way to do so for this week’s TC meeting (agenda) is probably by sending email to transportationcommission@cityofmadison.com. You don’t need to write a novel — just a brief message saying what you support or oppose is sufficient. I don’t think you get extra credit for length or snark but I could be wrong.
You might not think your opinion matters or you might think that you’re already well-represented, but the truth is that your comments can provide important balance and political cover. As we know from politics at all levels in this country, a vocal and well-organized minority can really shape the trajectory of things. Sometimes you’re in the minority, sometimes you’re opposed to the minority. Sometimes it’s two minorities that are lined up against each other when they largely share the same goals. If you’re feeling exhausted now, you’re not alone!
And on that bright note, enjoy the last week of July!
Looking southerly up Seminole Hwy at the new Arboretum access trail (photo: Ben Sandee)
I have to say, it’s pretty refreshing to be in a period of “relatively normal” rain after many weeks of “terribly excessive.” Enjoy while you can! It’s a pretty slow time of year because everyone’s out loving their biking, so some of this stuff is on repeat.
On Friday at 12 PM, join the Lunch Bunch E-Bike Rides leaving from Machinery Row Bicycles and enjoy lunch along the way with fellow riders.
Check out @machineryrowbikes on IG or FB for the route each week or contact lauren@machineryrowbicycles.com to join the email list.
On Sunday at 8 AM, join one of the Century Training Club rides leaving from Machinery Row Bicycles (same contact info as above).
Path Updates
The short-length-but-vital path connecting Manitou Way and McCaffrey Dr (paralleling Seminole Hwy) is open and although it’s not 100% complete, all that remains is a few landscaping touch-ups and finishing up the new improved crosswalk across Seminole Hwy.
Enjoy a more relaxed Arboretum Loop and skip a sketchy, exposed left-turn across traffic. This was a long time coming!
Credit: Ben Sandee
According to Dane County Parks and our own field research, the medium-length-but-vital path connecting Fish Camp County Park to Lake Kegonsa State Park opened on July 3! Part of the longer Lower Yahara River Trail, this path dramatically improves bicycle connections between McFarland and Stoughton by cutting out some busier stretches of rural roads. This was a long time coming!
Credit: Harald Kliems
Looking Ahead
Save the date for our July Community Event “Paddle and Pedal.” On Monday, 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 do so there to help us plan the snack situation.
‘Tis the season for prescribed burns — it’s an oldie-but a goodie (Harald Kliems and Cyclists of Madison)
If you’re interested in shaping the future of our Dane County Parks, please consider taking the time to complete the Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan Survey. The survey is open until May 1, 2024 so you’ve got a couple of weeks to collect your thoughts on the subject. The results of the survey will shape the next five year plan so it’s literally a once-in-a-lifetime (of a guinea pig) opportunity!
Also, here’s your once every few months (the lifespan of a flea) reminder to subscribe to Bike Madison email updates. You’ll get tons of useful info about construction, improvements and events; more than we can cover here. Also, try not to be put off by the janky website. Yeah, I know, glass houses and all but they know it and they’re working on it. Reliable sources are telling us that they’re up next for a big revamp, bringing them out of the early 2000’s. We can’t wait!
The Active Wisconsin spring network call is this WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 at 10:30am. Everyone is welcome! Learn about a new resource from AARP, get a heads up on events in 2024, hear about advocacy efforts on active transportation, and learn about what’s going on in health and transportation around the state.
We have been having some great conversations about building up Freewheel’s movement, and invite you to join the effort to bring an accessible, DIY community bike shop back to Madison. See you there!
On Saturday at 3 PM, stop by Capital Brewery in Middleton for an open house “dedicated to the world of E-Bikes!” Capital Brewery is home to many weekly group rides and is a very popular start/finishing spot for all sorts of riding. For more information, check out the Facebook invite.
On Sunday between 1 PM and 4 PM, Madison Bikes is hosting our annual Spring Bike Wash event. Like all of our community events it’s free, and if you’ve never experienced it before, it’s a great way to get the winter grime off your bike and hang out with fellow cyclists. It’ll be on Clark Ct, adjacent to Brittingham Park.
Also on Sunday from 3 PM to 5 PM, the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association (TLNA) is sweetening their spring membership meeting with a free Bikes and Brews family-friendly event. Head over to the Tenney Park Wall Family Pavilion and you’ll surely find the party.
Next Week and More
The city is hosting a barrage of public meetings about the proposed North-South BRT Line. On Monday April 22, you can go virtual, on Tuesday it’s at the Urban League on S Park (South Side), on Thursday it’s at the Warner Park Community Center (North Side) and on Monday April 29 it’ll be in Fitchburg. If you’re interested in this topic and none of these events work for you, then keep an eye out for the virtual recording and if that doesn’t work for you, well, we tried.🤷
Looking waaaaay out, Madison Parks is bringing Ride the Drive back on Sunday, August 11, 2024. It’s an ambitious event that will return to the classic format of years past. They’ll need an army of volunteers to make it happen so mark it in your calendar and sign up if you can!
Snapshot from last week’s “Biking and the Law” Community Meeting (credit: Craig Weinhold)
This Week
Event signups for Bike Week 2024 are open. Once you have your event details firmed up, go ahead and fill out the form and we’ll get your event on the calendar when it’s released in May!
Bikes for Kids Wisconsin is ramping up for their spring bike giveaways on April 27, May 4 and May 11. They are specifically looking to staff 150 volunteer slots in addition to the expected need for donated bicycles.
The annual Bike-O-Rama event runs Friday through Sunday at the Alliant Energy Center.
Join us on March 8th, 9th, and 10th for Southern Wisconsin’s Largest Bicycle Sale. You can comparison shop, test ride, accessorize, and buy from all bicycle brands in one place!
[…] highlight the TIP presentation [at the TC on February 28] that Engineer Chris Petykowski walked through. It’s essentially a rough plan to what the City is working on over the next five years excluding major state- and/or federally-funded projects like BRT and John Nolen Drive. TIP documents and TIP presentation recording (@1h 24m)
2025
West Beltline trail from High Point Rd to Zor Shrine
Rimrock Rd from John Nolen to MM
Pflaum Rd from HWY 51 to Monona Dr
Troy Drive RR underpass for bikes/peds
Rusk path connection to existing overpass beltline overpass
2026
Regent St from Monroe St to Park St — we’ll need everyone’s help to steer this project into being bike-friendly.
High Point Rd connection from Midtown Rd to Raymond Rd (Marty Farms development)
2027
Gammon Rd Whitney Way & Odana Rd intersection
South Franklin Ave (the steep blind hill next to the cemetery)
2028
Interstate underpass to extend Capital City Trail to Cottage Grove
West Beltline trail from Zor Shrine to Gammon Rd
Moorland Rd west of the sewerage plant
Farley Ave, University Ave to Regent
Coming Up
Looking forward a bit, BCycle will be all-systems-go for the season starting on March 15. To help celebrate this, Madison Bikes has arranged a tour of the BCycle facility on March 21. Find out what goes into keeping the BCycle fleet running! Details are still forthcoming, but expect a relaxed group ride from Law Park leaving shortly after 4:30pm or meet directly at the Third Street facility at 5pm. There will be snacks.
Low-hanging, snow-laden evergreen trees arch over the Southwest Path/Velo Underround (credit: Harald Kliems)
What a week for getting around outside it’s been! With weather and road conditions like this, you’d think it was International Winter Bike to Work Day but it’s not — that’s still coming up in February. This is good practice though, if you want it. However you choose to get around this week, please do it safely and with respect and care for people around you.
It’s easy to forget how much progress we’ve made with regards to winter cycling in Madison. Policies that were relatively recently put in place (within the last five years or so) ensure that the paths are cleared even on weekends, which is particularly noticeable given the timing of this latest snowfall. It would have been made even worse by the MLK holiday on Monday, potentially delaying path cleanup to Tuesday morning.
Small utility tractors work to clear a multi-use path (credit: Craig Weinhold)
This Week
On Wednesday, January 17 at 5 PM, the Transportation Commission will meet virtually. You can read the (relatively light) agenda here, which has a bit of bus-nerd stuff in it and some other tidbits.
On Thursday, January 18 at 7 PM, join an in-person discussion about the potential changes to Mineral Point Rd between Glenway and Midvale Blvd. The discussion will be hosted at the Midtown District Police Station, making it a border battle between districts 5 and 11. The proposed changes include safer pedestrian crossings, buffered bike lanes, reduced car travel lanes and removal of on-street parking (something already disallowed during rush hour in either direction). There was a virtual discussion about this last month and this is yet another opportunity to learn about the project.
On Friday, January 19 from 3-7 PM, drop by the first GearShift Gathering at the Bikes for Kids workshop on the south side. From the event description:
Stop by to meet your local bike organizations at this fun event! Local representatives will be available to talk with you about their work, talk about upcoming projects, and about their volunteer opportunities. Or just come and socialize with the bike community! We’ll also have door prizes?
On Saturday, January 20 from 9 AM to 1 PM, experience the legendary 2024 edition of the Brazen Dropouts Bike Swap. It’s always a fun time and a great way to connect with other cyclists in a warm setting during the coldest months of the year.
Abandoned Bikes PSA
There’s been a bit of discussion on our Facebook Community about what happens when the city collects abandoned bikes. First of all, you can report abandoned bikes to the city using this form and also to our aforementioned Facebook community and/or the Bike Index. According to Renee Callaway, City of Madison Pedestrian Bicycle Administrator:
Whenever [Madison Police Department] receives requests for bike donations they donate bikes and if they still have some after that that are in good/great shape they auction them off. The bikes that are heavily damaged or that are missing a lot of parts they do send off to city metals recycling.
Parting Gift
A short video biking along the Southwest Path after a snowfall (credit: Harald Kliems)
*mumbling to myself* Argh, I don’t know. Studs? Too soon? Yes, too soon. Don’t overreact. *deep breath* Just try to get past the next few days and we should be good again for a bit.
This week
On Monday at 6 PM, join an online session hosted by Madison Bikes (registration) where we’ll be on the receiving end of a presentation from city transit officials about how bikes and the BRT systems will complement each other. This one will focus on the North/South (“B”) route that’s in active planning mode. From Robbie’s event description:
Madison’s first bus rapid transit (BRT) route, going from Junction Road on the West side to East Towne Mall on the East side, is still under construction. But the city and Metro are already preparing for a second route, connecting the north and south side. If all goes well, the route could be in operation as early as 2028.
The project will involve a reconstruction of Park St, and potential changes to the setup of streets such as Fish Hatchery Rd, Packers Ave, and Sherman Ave. A lot of these changes will have an impact on people biking, and getting the route and the design right is important for improving our city’s all-ages-and-all-abilities bike network. Join our meeting for a presentation from Metro and an opportunity to ask questions and provide comment!
On Monday at 7 PM, Bike Fitchburg is hosting their monthly meeting at the Saris facility off of Verona Rd. In addition to the normal meeting agenda items, attendees will get a tour of the facility from Jeff Iverson, Saris Director of Engineering. Sounds fun! From Bike Fitchburg: “All who live, work, and/or bike in Fitchburg are welcome to join their voices with ours to make our city an easier, safer, more fun, and more equitable place to bike!”
On Wednesday at 5 PM the Transportation Commission meets virtually. You can watch online here and check out the full agenda. One item to note is that the city is applying for federal TAP funding (2024-2028) for the following bike path projects:
Moorland Rd Shared Use Path – Capital City Trail to Wayland Dr: Improvements include new shared-use path and improved bus stop safety and accessibility.
W Beltline Frontage Rd Shared Use Path – East of Seminole Hwy to Landmark Pl: Improvements include continuation of shared-use path to fill gap in pedestrian network and continue all ages and ability bike connection to neighborhood. Improved safety and accessibility of bus stops.
Woodland Dr Path – Sheridan Dr to Marcy Rd: New shared-use path along Woodland Dr to connect to Sheridan Dr path, Warner Park path at Forster Dr and Marcy Dr.
E Rusk Path Extension – N Rusk Ave to Rimrock Rd: New shared-use path that will connect to new paths planned for construction along N Rusk/W Badger and Rimrock Rd.
Last Week
On Tuesday the Board of Public Works met to produce their recommendation on the layout of the proposed multi-use path along the North side of Mineral Point Rd. One issue under discussion is where and how often the path would be narrowed to 5′ vs the 8′ baseline. Previously, recommendations had been produced from both city staff and the Transportation Commission with the city staff preferring more reductions to 5′ widths along the corridor and the TC preferring fewer reductions that require a few more tree removals (see slide).
Slide from Tom Lynch, Director of Transportation for the City of Madison
In this case, the Board of Public Works voted to recommend a middle ground between the staff and TC recommendations (leaning more towards the city staff recommendation). They suggest requiring 8′ at Clock Tower, but settle for 5′ at Kwik-Trip, Nautilus Park, and Isle of View Apts. Alders Slack, Conklin and Tishler all expressed opposition to the TC plan (and presumably support for the city staff plan).
The work now heads to the Common Council who will take the three different recommendations into account when deciding on the final layout.
A cyclist loading (or unloading) their bike from a Madison Metro Bus rack (h/t Cyclists of Madison)
With the first week of school over, new routes learned and fresh routines formed, hopefully there is some peace and joy that can come from a quiet week of seasonal, beautiful cycling.
This Week
On Wednesday at 5:00 PM the Transportation Commission meets virtually (agenda). Of particular note will be a review of Safe Streets Madison detailing significant improvements to Baldwin Street,Eastmorland Neighborhood, and Midvale Boulevard. On our Facebook community group, there was a robust discussion about the Baldwin Street improvement and how they could be better. You can submit your input by email to transportationcommission@cityofmadison.com, or you can register for the meeting here.
A visual summary of the Safe Street changes proposed for Eastmorland Neighborhood (source: City of Madison)
Later on Wednesday at 6:00 PM “all bodies” are welcome to participate in the party-paced Madison Queer Bike Ride leaving from Law Park.
The City of Madison just applied to have their Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community status renewed from the League of American Bicyclists. Platinum is the second highest level, and cities need to reapply every 5 years to maintain their status. As part of the process, the League is seeking your input to gain a better understanding of local bicyclists’ experiences in Madison. Please take a minute to complete this brief survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFC_local_Fall23
Save the date(s)
A reminder that the Ride For Your Life Madison is coming up soon. If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so at https://rideforyourlife.org. Madison Bikes is co-organizing the event, and it would be great if we could get some additional volunteers to help.
Sarah Langenkamp was tragically killed by a truck while bicycling home from her sons’ elementary school in Bethesda, Maryland, on August 25, 2022. In the wake of her death, her family organized Ride For Your Life in Washington D.C. This event joined forces with activists across the country to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety on our streets.
This fall, Ride For Your Life is coming to Madison, WI! On Sunday, October 1, 2023, cyclists will ride 5-6 miles and pedestrians will walk 1 mile through Madison to the steps of the State Capitol for a rally to raise awareness of the need for pedestrian and cyclist safety.
Cyclists Crossing the (temporarily closed) Alicia Ashman Bridge (h/t Cyclists of Madison)
We’ll start with a big random, sloppy shout-out to the city’s Bike Madisonmailing list subscription, which is essential reading for any cyclist in Madison. This shouldn’t be confused with our Madison Bikes update, which is the one you’re reading now! There’s often a bit of overlap, but we certainly don’t try to cover all of the minutia of road closures and path detours for the upcoming week like they do. Get on it!
This Week
Through next weekend, the Shorewood Hills path will be closed west of the new bridge over University Bay Drive. A detour on Marshall Ct will still take you to/from the bridge.
On Tuesday the Alicia Ashman bridge @ Campus Drive reopens ?. If you received last Friday’s update from Bike Madison, you’d already know that the bridge in the hero image above is closed for repairs until August 1. Of course, nearly every other route through campus is already suffering from some sort of detour right now, so good luck ?. Let’s hope it’s all cleared up in time for the return of the students.
On Wednesday from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM the city is hosting an in-person discussion and presentation of the West Area Plan at the Rennebohm park shelter. “Development, transportation, and parks and open space and other elements for the area will be included.” Oh, and food carts, probably, so it’s sort of a party! If the weather is trending poorly, they always reserve the right to not show, but the rest of the event happens rain or shine under the shelter.
West Area Plan Limits Map (h/t City of Madison)
Also on Wednesday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, the Greater Madison MPO is meeting at the Water Utility-Engineering building (119 E Olin Ave) with meeting notes that would make any European used to an August vacation season recoil. Some fascinating tidbits if you dig into it.
Browsing through the meeting packet, one item that caught my eye is #8 (p. 17). It describes a bunch of funding requests/project plans with DRAFTplastered all over them, up to 2024-2028 that are probably all relevant to cyclists. “Glacial Drumlin Path”, “Rimrock Rd”, “West Towne Path”, “Connect Mid Town Road and Raymond Road on New Alignment” are all words that you will read, and so many more!
Did you know that the “M” in MPO stands for Metropolitan? (fyi, the rest is Planning and Organization) This means it’s more than just Madison; there are items for Sun Prairie and the Villages of Deforest and Windsor too. People deep in the transpo weeds have been hearing/discussing these for some time, but it can be interesting to watch them as they work through the various committees at different levels of government. If your interest is piqued and you want to know more about the MPO “how’s” and “why’s”, check out item #10 (p. 32) which has a review of their operating rules and procedures.
Also on our calendar for Friday from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM @ Law Park is one of the twice bi-weekly Bike Ride for Trans Rights. While we don’t always highlight every event of the week, here’s a reminder that you can get a recurring event on our calendar, if you like. See the footer of this post for how to do that.
Finally, on Saturday at 2:00 PM, Free Bikes 4 Kidz is hosting “its first annual bike ride, the South Side Slow Roll“: a three mile SAG (Support And Gear, ya’ll) ride with pre- and after- parties. Free registration is required but it’s really just an online waiver and takes mere seconds to fill out. To sweeten the deal, all registrants will receive a voucher for food from one of four food cart vendors at the afterparty. It all starts at the FB4K workshop on Coyier Lane @ 2:00 PM with Wheels for Winners doing bike checks. The ride starts at 3:00 PM. I could go on, but really, just hit up their site for details. It’ll be a great event with great organizations and individuals involved to make it fun for everyone.
