Category: Weekly Update

That must be why the calendar is so empty: everyone is out enjoying summer.

The past week, in case you missed it

There were a few interesting news stories that the Madison Bikes community might find interesting. 

Saris is being sold by its owners. This is a big deal for the Madison cycling community because Chris Fortune, who owns the company with his wife, has been a big supporter of improving the bicycling environment. Chris has donated to many groups, pushed for many improvements in infrastructure and policy, and funded education programs for kids. He’s also been a driving force to build bike parks for kids. 

It’s also great to have manufacturing jobs that can be reached by bike. I hope all the jobs –  design, marketing, sales, and manufacturing – stay at the current location. We’d hate to lose such a great company. 

WORT ran a long piece about the crashes that have happened over the years on Williamson St – not just people hitting other people or vehicles, but crashes into buildings. Willy is an important corridor for bicycling, walking, and retail, but the amount and speed of traffic on the street, especially when parking disappears on one side of the street during peak hour, makes it both difficult to negotiate on foot and bike and also tough to cross.

There have been efforts to make Willy St more pedestrian and bicyclist friendly, usually by doing away with the rush hour parking restrictions that turn the road into three through lanes, but each time local advocates and neighbors have tried to improve the situation, the city has pushed back, saying they need the traffic capacity.

The week ahead

It’s going to be a fairly slow week in city meetings. There aren’t any meetings that we need to pay attention to, but if you want to see what’s going on in other matters, you can always find the full list of city meetings for the week on the city website.

There are a few things that came in from people in our network. 

Info needed on bike crash on Rimrock Rd

A post on the Madison Bikes Community page mentioned that there bike crash on Rimrock Road south of the Alliant Center entrance. The Town of Madison Police are seeking anyone who may have either witnessed what happened or has other information. The post and photo of the contact info are below. The officer handling this is Todd C Dart.

Today (7/2), around 8-8:15, a team member of ours was in a bike/car accident along Rimrock Road on the “stick” (by the coliseum, before you cross over the beltline). Thankfully, other than some broken bones, she’s going to be ok but she may still need to call on professionals at Leppard Law.

We think some folks may have seen it happen, and some cyclists may have stopped but left before giving a statement to a responding officer (he said he saw some take off as he pulled up).

It would be helpful to report anything you saw to help verify the events. This is the card the officer gave me.

Bridge out on the Badger Trail north of Monroe

Also in the news, a truck hit the Round Grove Rd bridge on the Badger State Trail north of Monroe, so that bridge is closed. It’s probably going to be awhile before it gets fixed, and the detour around the bridge is rather hilly. So be forewarned. 

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.

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.

Hopefully, you are aware that Bike Week starts next week. Are you excited? We are. 

Help us spread the word!

You can help us out by making sure that your friends and neighbors know about Bike Week as well. Just send a quick message to your neighborhood list, NextDoor, or post on your personal social media account.

Many of our friends and neighbors would love to know about the great events we have, but they aren’t on our list or don’t follow our social media. Or maybe they haven’t been biking in awhile, but just need a nudge to pump up the tires or dust off the bike in the back of the garage. You can even offer to go for a ride with them or attend a nearby event to help them get back on their bikes. More bicyclists = more fun!

Take action to protect those outside of vehicles as well as those driving

For years, vehicle safety regulations have emphasized protections for those driving and riding in cars and light trucks (SUVs, pick ups, etc.) Air bags, seat belts, crumple zones, and autonomous features like lane departure warnings make sure drivers and passengers are safe.

But what about those walking and biking? As vehicles have gotten bigger and heavier, they have become more dangerous for those outside the vehicle. (I wrote an article about this at my previous job. The evidence is frightening.) 

Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is finally considering the safety of those outside the vehicle. America Walks is asking for our help providing input. We can all stand up for the safety of non-motorized users of the public rights of way. 

The week ahead

Aside from getting psyched for Bike Week and taking action on safety for non-motorized users of the public space, there is one important meeting happening this week.

Tuesday

If you ride the bus – or care about how our bus system operates and who it serves – plan to attend the Transit Network Redesign Public Hearing at the virtual 6 pm meeting. You can also watch the meeting without participating. This is the last input session before the Transportation Planning and Policy Board – the lead committee – votes on the redesign on June 6. You can speak at the meeting or submit comments in advance. All the details are at the link above. 

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.

We are busy preparing for our major event of the year, Madison Bike Week! With only two weeks away there is still time for local businesses or non-profits to sign up and host a Bike Week event or discount. You can follow this link to register you event…

Bike Week Calendar

Once again, this year you can use Sched to keep track of your calendar of bike week events and discounts. This tools includes many useful features including personalized event calendars and a map view. The Sched bike week calendar and map can be found on our Bike Week 2022 page.

Plus, you can register for a free account to create a personalized bike week calendar and receive notifications for specific events you plan to attend.

Events Map

We have 25 events registered for Madison Bike Week, including 12 food and 11 ride events! The map view, shown below, is a great way to find events in your area. It’s not too early to start planning your stops and coordinate with your riding buddies.

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.

Madison Bike Week is coming – you can still register your event

Madison Bike Week will start in less than three weeks! We plan to have our event calendar up later this week — and it’s not too late to add your event to the calendar. Putting up a Madison Bike Week event or discount, as always, is free. And we again have a mini-grant program to promote a more diverse and inclusive Madison Bike Week. Find more information about the registration and the mini grants here. Madison Bike Week is all about bringing together the community, and we can’t do it without you

This is also a great opportunity to thank this year’s Madison Bike Week sponsors. Thanks so much for the support!

Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) projects at TPPB

Monday’s agenda for the Transportation Policy and Planning Board has one bike-related item: Madison’s application for federal funds through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). TAP funds are one of the main ways for cities to access federal funding for bike and walk projects. Cities submit a list of priority projects to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and with some luck, one or more of them will be funded. Madison’s list for the current cycle was submitted in January, but now there are changes to two of the projects. This is the complete list, with the changed projects highlighted:

1. Expand the School Rd project to be the Northside SRTS Improvements at Mendota Elementary School and Lindbergh Elementary Schools including improvements along School Rd, Toban Dr, Blaine Dr and Kennedy Rd.
2. E. Washington Ave. bicycle route alternative (Reindahl Park to East Springs Dr.) – includes potential bike boulevard on Dwight, bike lane markings on the frontage road and on Independence Ln., additional traffic calming and improved crossings where necessary.
3. Expand the Badger Rd shared use path Phase 1 to include shared-use path along N Rusk Ave to Nygard St – shared use path along W. Badger Rd. to connect N. Rusk Ave. to the existing pedestrian/bicycle overpass of the Beltline.
4. West Towne Path – two possible segments, including the segment from Gammon Rd. to Zor Shrine and the segment from Zor Shrine to High Point Rd. These may be combined into a single project on the application, depending on the cost estimates and potential funds available in the program.
5. Cross Isthmus Improvements – includes improved bicycle connections across the isthmus, primarily along Franklin St., Hancock St. and Blount St., and would also include installation of bike lanes along E. Washington Ave. from Blair St. to the Capitol Square.
6. Tancho Dr. Path – shared use path between Tancho Dr. and STH 151, where there is an existing path and underpass of the highway.
7. BCycle Bike Share Expansion – Focus on building a more equitable program by connecting additional areas of the city that are currently not served or are underserved by this mobility option.

International Ride of Silence on Wednesday

On May 18, starting at 6:30 pm the Madison edition of the 2022 Ride of Silence will take place. In previous years, the ride was held in Sun Prairie, but this year the route will take participants around Lake Monona. Here’s more info from the organizer:

[T]he Ride of Silence can be found in 450+ cities across the world to honor those who have been injured or killed, to raise awareness that we are here and to ask that we all share the road.Please sign up to attend at the official Eventbrite page : https://bit.ly/3OzrOZC. We will be using that to determine a final ride headcount.The official ride route can be found at this link, and the Ridespot app can be downloaded for free to track the route: https://www.ridespot.org/rides/569471This is the official event for the Madison, WI event. we will be riding a 13 mile route around Lake Monona in a silent 10 mph procession in memoriam of those cyclists killed and injured around the world and in our own community. we will be stopping for a few minutes of silence at the Ghost bike at the intersection of Baldwin and East Wilson St, then continuing around the lake.

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.