Category: Weekly Update

Bike Wash, Brews, BRT

Post author By Ben Sandee
Post date April 15, 2024

Someone riding a bike on the Southwest Path toward the camera. In the background a controlled burn and a number of people in safety vests. — ‘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!

This Week

On Wednesday at 10:30 AM, join a Zoom call hosted by AARP Wisconsin and Active Wisconsin:

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.

On Thursday from 6 PM-7:30 PM, join the online Freewheel April Volunteer Meeting (zoom link).

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!

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.

E-Mail Weekly Update

Bike signals; Teaching Safe Bicycling; bike club season starting; trees and bikes

Post author By Harald Kliems
Post date April 7, 2024

Aftermath of last week’s snow on the University Bay Dr overpass

Is this the week that spring is going to start in earnest? Is it time to take off the studded tires? I dare not make any predictions, especially for a week that starts with a solar eclipse. But it seems several bike clubs and riding groups are starting their season. Read more below.

A new kind of traffic signal

On the far west side of time, at Junction and Watts, Madison premiered its first 4″ bike signal. While we have full-size bike signals in several places around town, these signals are right-sized for being on the near side of the intersection. Check out traffic engineer Jerry Schippa’s video of the signal:

Of trees and bikes

Once again, a supposed conflict between bike infrastructure and trees has made the news. This time the contention is about removing trees for the Autumn Ridge bike path and overpass. This path, long in the making, will greatly improve connectivity between the neighborhoods around Sycamore Park and destinations south of the highway. Madison Bikes submitted a letter of support for the city’s application for funding for that project.

Is removing down some trees a reasonable trade-off for this new bike (and pedestrian!) connection? I personally sure think so. It’s important to keep in mind why we need this overpass in the first place: Highway 30, a limited access highway cuts the neighborhood in half, and the only existing connection across the highway is Thompson Road, with its dangerous multi-lane roundabouts and speeding drivers. I would love to see Highway 30 converted into an urban street, lined with beautiful trees. But that’s not the alternative available to us. Also keep all of this mind, as the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is planning on expanding the Interstate as well as Stoughton Road through our city.

Our board member Craig Weinhold was quoted in the segment:

But bicyclist Craig Weinhold said any disruption for bicycle travel is often treated in an out-of-proportion fashion.

“My concern is the demonizing of cyclists and the City over any bike path proposal,” Weinhold said. “Hiestand Park is just the latest example.”

Teaching Safe Bicycling

On Sunday, the Wisconsin Bike Fed will “train the trainer” on Teaching Safe Bicycling. This 6-hour-long clinic at the Goodman Center will teach adults on how to teach safe biking techniques to kids. Registration is required and free! More details here.

Group rides kicking off!

A whole number of group rides and clubs are kicking off their riding season this week.

On Monday evening, Cap City Cyclists has their first Mad Town Mondays ride scheduled. This is somewhat of a successor to the Monday 40 rides, and the ride will make a good ol’ Lake Loop, ending at the Harmony. More details on Instagram.

If you want a faster, women-led ride, Women on Wheels is a new group, “inclusive to all genders looking for non-competitive and safety-focused tempo rides.” Their season opener is on Tuesday, and you can find more information on their Facebook group.

Also on Tuesday, the BIPOC Cycling Club Madison will have their first ride of the season. Their mission is to “be a safe and welcoming space for BIPOC individuals to ride together, and to build an inclusive community around the joy of cycling.” More info on their Instagram account.

The Madison Queer Bike Ride is a year-round opportunity, and this Wednesday it’s time for another ride. I haven’t seen their route announced yet — check their Instagram page for details.

Bombay Bicycle Club will host their season opener on Sunday. The ride goes down south to Firefly Coffee House in Oregon, and apparently coffee is provided by the club. 10 am departure at the Cap City Trail parking lot near Lake Farm County Park. Facebook event.

Not quite kicking off the season yet is the new Capital Bike Club e-bike group. Save the date for their April 20 open house in Middleton

Madison Bike Week is coming

If you attended the Dream Bikes parking lot sale on Saturday, you may have seen one of our flyers for Madison Bike Week! We’re just about to roll out our promotion campaign, and let’s just say that we’ll have awesome promo materials this year. Now is also a good time to start thinking about what events you want to host during Madison Bike Week, June 1-8. Event registration (as always: free!) is open.

CORP fundraiser

Our mountain biking friends from CORP are hosting their “Love your trails” spring fundraiser at Machinery Row on Saturday. Tickets are $20/$25 (advance/door) and will include food and beverages. Facebook event.

E-Mail Weekly Update

RoundTrip Spring Roll/Stroads/TC actions

Post author By Paul Lata
Post date March 31, 2024

Ghost Bike placed in memory of Joseph Solomon who was killed by a van while riding home from his job at HyVee East (Photo: John Chady)

RoundTrip’s Spring Roll Challenge

Earth day (April 22) is approaching and it’s a perfect time to shake off the rust and get in the commuting habit again if you haven’t already. The RoundTrip transportation options program is jump starting this process by launching the Spring Roll Challenge to encourage car-free and car-light trips during April. The news release from the City of Madison is here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/2024-03-27/roundtrips-spring-roll-challenge-to-celebrate-green-trips-this-earth-month

FAQ:

How much does it cost to enter? Nothing, it’s free!

Which activities are included? Any trip made by walking/rolling, bicycling, riding the bus, carpooling or vanpooling—instead of driving alone.

Who can enter: Anyone 18 years and older in Dane County.

Are there prizes? Four winners are chosen each week from participants who log at least six one-way green trips (three round trips). Four grand prize winners will be drawn from those who log twenty-four one-way green trips (12 round trips) throughout the month. Prizes include $100 Slow Roll Cycles gift cards, $50 CommuteRewards gift cards, Madison BCycle memberships, travel mugs, and Metro Transit passes

Why should I enter now? The first 50 individuals to join will receive a starter prize pack, including a free slice from Ian’s Pizza, a 30-minute BCycle pass and a two-ride Metro Transit pass.

How do I enroll? Register with RoundTrip at www.RoundTripGreaterMadison.org. Then start logging your miles!

Callaway highlights community meeting

Renee Callaway, Pedestrian Bicycle Administrator for the city of Madison gave an update on all things bicycle related in the city of Madison. Her slides are available here: Madison Bikes Community Meeting 03252024.

Transportation committee actions

The following projects were approved and will go to the Board of Public Works:

Tancho Drive Path. This path will link Tancho Drive in Madison to bike paths of Sun Prairie.

Pheasant Branch Trail. A rerouting of current trails in the area of Deming Way and Excelsior Dr to avoid new drainage ponds and provide better connectivity. A new path connecting to Fourier Dr. will be added.

Hermina St foot/bike bridge. Narrowing street and preservation of tree canopy on Hermina and bridge over Starkweather Creek. This project will allow bicyclists and pedestrians traveling east or west to avoid using Milwaukee Street. Possible new B-cycle station near the bridge.

What are stroads and how we can fix them

OK, what the heck is a stroad? Actually, you are actually very familiar with them. An informative communication from Wisconsin BikeFed describes the safety and efficiency issues created by stroads. There is also an excellent video on stroads and a link to an easy to use interactive map that facilitates analysis of all types of crashes.

Gammon Road and bike/ped safety issues in the vicinity of schools are used to illustrate how problems can be identified with crash data. The safety improvements implemented on Sherman Avenue are used to show how stroads can be made safer and more efficient.

This one is well worth your time.

Deadline approaching for Smart Cycling class

The registration deadline for the April 20 League of American Bicyclists Smart Cycling Class is Friday, April 12. The course will be held in Fitchburg and covers bike maintenance basics, rules of the road, on-bike skills, and crash avoidance techniques. This class is also a prerequisite for League Cycling Instructor training.

Other items on the calendar:

April 6, 10AM – 3PM: Rescheduled Huge Dream Bikes Parking Lot Sale. 1131 N Sherman Ave. https://www.facebook.com/events/932940418274741/

April 21: Two opportunities for free bike maintenance:

Madison Bikes and Freewheel Bikes will be providing a Spring Bike Wash and Lube from 1 pm to 4 pm at Clark Court and South Brittingham Place right next to Brittingham Park. Bike wash stations and supplies will be provided by Madison Bikes and Freewheel will have two bike mechanics for safety checks and minor adjustments. Right off the Brittingham Park path for people with bikes downtown, west and south sides of Madison.

For people with bikes on the east and north side of Madison, the Tenney Lapham Neighborhood is offering a Bikes and Brews event from 3 pm to 5 pm at Tenney Park also with free bike resources and adjustments.

https://tenneylapham.org/events/2024-events/bikes-brews/

Free Bicycle Benefits Ambassador fanny pack

Follow the link between now and June to get a fanny pack and a $25 gift card. [Facebook link]

That’s it for this week. Watch the calendar for upcoming events, including Madison Bike Week 2024 events in June. Enjoy the spring riding.

Newsletter Weekly Update

Bike Advocacy in the Wake of Tragedy

Post author By Christo Alexander
Post date March 24, 2024

Cyclists cruise down the Cap City Trail on Madison’s East Side

Welcome to this week’s newsletter. If you aren’t familiar, this newsletter shares the need-to-know information for bicycle advocates in the Madison area. As we gather to address both the joys and challenges of biking, this issue touches upon critical matters—from supporting those affected by tragedy, to community meetings where discussions of bicycling safety can take place.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Joseph Solomon, who was killed by a driver while biking home from work on Lien Rd on the East Side. I can’t express how frustrated and angry it makes me that there has been another bicyclist death due to traffic violence. We have to do better to protect vulnerable road users, especially in areas farther away from downtown where separated bicycle infrastructure is often sparse and disconnected. If you wish to donate, his family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for his funeral and provide support for his daughter. Thank you to those who have made contributions.

Community Event: Vision Zero & Active Transportation Planning

Join us this Monday, March 25th, 6:00 PM at the Central Library downtown to hear from Renee Callaway and learn about Vision Zero and Active Transportation planning. Renee is the new Assistant Director of the City of Madison’s Traffic Engineering division. Renee has over 20 years of experience in Transportation Planning and was recently promoted from her previous role with the city as Pedestrian Bicycle Administrator. We’re looking forward to having her come talk with us about Madison’s progress in Vision Zero, bike and pedestrian infrastructure planning, and Safe Routes to School planning.

We’ll be in Room 301 (note the change from 104) and we’ll have pizza, so come down, grab a slice, and chat with us about Making Madison a better place to ride a bike.

Transportation Commission

On Wednesday, at 5:00 PM the Transportation Commission will meet. Included in the agenda is one North/South BRT topic, the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPT). The LPT is the desired configuration for things like stops, dedicated bus lanes, and other operations like transit frequency and fare cost. Tune in to this meeting or see more information by vising the city website.

Upcoming Bicycle Education

The League of American Bicyclists has a few upcoming classes at the Fitchburg Community Center:

Smart Cycling on Saturday, April 20. This course is a fast-paced class that provides cyclists with the confidence to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. We will cover the basics of bike maintenance, rules of the road, on-bike skills, and crash avoidance techniques.

League Cycling Instructor (LCI, May 31 – June 2). LCIs are ambassadors for better biking through their education efforts. After earning certification through a three-day, League Coach-led seminar, LCIs can teach a variety of Smart Cycling classes to children as well as adults, helping them feel more confident and secure about riding. From our youth focused classes to our Bicycle Friendly Driver curriculum, LCIs can educate people who bike and drive how to safely and legally share the road.

Smart Cycling is a prerequisite to LCI, and LCI is not held locally very often, so those in Wisconsin who are interested in getting certified should take advantage.

That’s all for this newsletter. We really hope to see you at one of our upcoming events. There are a lot of interesting, fun, and educational events coming up, including during Madison Bike Week 2024 in June. Stay safe and see you out there.

Tags advocacy, bike news, board, e-mail, newsletter, Transportation Commission, Weekly Update

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.

Action Alert Bike News Newsletter Weekly Update

Not one more cyclist- take action with this week’s updates

Post author By Daniel Villegas
Post date March 11, 2024

It’s daylight savings time. Don’t forget to skip your clock an hour forward if it isn’t automatic- you don’t want to miss this week’s updates.

A white bike memorial for the late Sarah Debbink Langenkamp — A ghost bike memorial for the late Sarah Debbink Langenkamp (credit: Alicia Bosscher, 2022)

This week – urgent action needed

Sarah Debbink Langenkamp was killed while riding her bike in a bike lane in Bethesda, Maryland in August of 2022. The driver who struck her received a meager sentence of 150 hours of community service and a $2,000 fine. Sarah’s husband, Dan, is urging lawmakers to take action and pass the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation act, which is likely to be introduced Tuesday, March 12.

Specifically, the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act would:

– Unlock Highway Safety Improvement Program funding for projects that connect two pieces of safe cycling infrastructure.

– Allow local governments to identify active transportation projects eligible for Highway Safety Improvement Program funding.

– Allow bicycle and pedestrian safety projects to be fully federally funded, ensuring all communities can take advantage of these new eligibilities and encouraging communities to undertake more bicyclist and pedestrian safety projects.
Noa Banayan, PeopleForBikes’ director of federal affairs

We need your help to email Ron Johnson and ask that he co-sponsor the Senate version of the bill. The House version has bipartisan support. Click here to quickly e-mail Senator Ron Johnson. You can copy this message, if you would like: “Please consider co-sponsoring the Senate version of the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Act as it has the potential to save lives and won’t cost the government anything. Thank you!”

Also in this week

UW Transportation Services published this illustrated guide on bicycle security and theft prevention. Check it out for tips on how to keep your bike safe using the right equipment.

A bike lock security infographic showing: more secure: small u lock and square chain, moderately secure: u lock and cable or u lock only, and less secure: cable only — Bike lock security infographic (Credit: UW Transportation Services, 2024)

Coming next week

Spring is in the air! Come celebrate with MadisonBikes by taking a tour of the Madison BCycle Facility on Thursday, March 21. Join a relaxed group ride from Law Park leaving shortly after 4:30 pm or meet directly at the Third Street facility at 5 pm. Discussion will include battery charging and safety. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Three Madison BCycle bikes docked next to each other as a cyclist starts to pull one out — Madison BCycle bikes (Credit: BCycle, 2022)

Dane County Supervisor candidate questionnaire

Elections for the Dane County Board of Supervisors are on April 2. The Spring Election is on April 2. Madison Bikes, the Affordable Housing Action Alliance (AHAA), Madison is for People, and Madison Tenant Power (MTP) worked together on an election questionnaire. The questionnaire for Dane County Supervisor candidates is focused on Dane County’s ongoing housing crisis and transportation issues. We reached out to all candidates, and we received 15 responses. Find out how the candidate(s) for your district responded and share the information with others.

Tags advocacy, bike news, Bike Safety, Weekly Update

Bike News E-Mail Weekly Update

Spring Events Aplenty and Big TC/TIP Update

Post author By Ben Sandee
Post date March 4, 2024

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!

Last Week

From Craig via the Madison Bikes Slack:

[…] 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.

Weekly Update

Spring in February

Post author By Robbie Webber
Post date February 26, 2024

I hope everyone has been able to get out and enjoy the (weirdly) warm weather recently. Although the riding has been very pleasant, it’s a bit unnerving that we have weather this warm in February.

The week ahead is somewhat slow, but we have a great community meeting coming up Monday (today, if you are receiving this by email.) In the fall, we invited our members and friends to brainstorm about what they would like to see as event, talks, rides, activities, and information in the future. This Monday’s topic came out of that meeting. See below for more details.

Monday

Our Community Meeting at 6:00 pm at the Central Library will be on the topic of “Know Your Rights: Biking and the Law” with Clayton Griessmeyer, Bicycle Injury Lawyer. If you have questions about what to do if you have a crash, or important aspects about biking on paths or roads, this will be an event you don’t want to miss.

Also Monday, Fitchburg Bikes will meet at the Fitchburg Senior Center, 5510 Lacy Rd at 7:00 pm.

Wednesday

Transportation Commission will meet virtually at 5:00 pm. On the agenda are a number of projects scheduled for both this year and planned for in the future. (See items on 5, 6, and 9 on the agenda. Under item 9, items marked TAP are pedestrian/bicycle improvements.)

Also on the agenda is an item about safety, crowding, and speed concerns on the paths. There is a good presentation from city staff that lays out the issues with both crowding and any conflicts. We’ve had a discussion about this recently on our Facebook Community, and it comes up every couple of years, including in a recent letter to the media. Basically, we rely on everyone to be polite and aware of other path users, but that’s often a big ask.

Ongoing opportunities to comment:

The UW has a new master plan for the Lakeshore Natural Area. There was quite a bit of publicity about a new visitors center to be built near the entrance to Picnic Point. This would involve some changes to both University Bay Dr and the parallel Lakeshore Path, but mostly just relocating them closer to the marsh.

Much of the master plan involves landscaping, prairie and woodland restoration, and changes to some pedestrian paths within the area near Picnic Point, but the Lakeshore Natural Area also includes the Lakeshore Path all the way down to the Limnology Building near Memorial Union. There isn’t much information in the current master plan about the path in this area, but we have the chance to weigh in on future needs for this critical connector.

The intrepid may be able to navigate the path in all conditions, but winter makes the path quite treacherous, with rutted ice, repeated freezing and thawing, and most of the path completely dark during our short days. Thaws in the spring just mean huge puddles — with ice still present underneath — mud, sand, more ruts, and all users trying to navigate the dry areas, so moving side to side on the path to find dry ground.

If you would like to see changes to the path in the future (lighting, surface, width, improved maintenance, stabilizing areas near the path, etc.) you can comment by contacting the UW via the contact information here.

Dane County is accepting comments until March 15 about a proposed bridge across the Wisconsin River near Sauk City and a trail to Walking Iron County Park near Mazomanie. Information – including slides and a recording from a January public meeting – and a link to comment can be found here.

E-Mail Newsletter Weekly Update

Bike records, a fat bike race, and “Biking and the Law”

Post author By Harald Kliems
Post date February 19, 2024

It’s been unseasonably warm. And that shows when you pay attention to the bike counters. When riding past the two counters, on the Southwest Path and the Cap City Trail, I had noticed that counts seemed high. And so I looked at the weekly count data for the week starting on February 5. And indeed: These were the highest numbers since the counters were installed!

The forecast for this week looks even warmer, and so we’ll see if we get another record. Have you been riding more? And if you’re not an all-season rider, have you considered getting back on the bike sooner this year?

Fat bike race in Middleton

Speaking of warm temperatures: On Saturday, the final race of the Hugh Jass Fat Bike Series is supposed to take place at Blackhawk Ski Club in Middleton. Make sure to check the Facebook event, as the warm weather may make for difficult trail conditions.

Preview: Biking and the Law

Not this week, but on Monday, February 26, we are holding our first Community Meeting of 2024. Local attorney Clayton Griessmeyer, who specializes in biking and the law, will talk to us about both your rights as a bicyclist and what you should know if you get into a crash. The event will be in person at the Madison Central Library, Room 104 at 6 pm.

Clayton will talk about:

Laws that are designed to protect people on bicycles and pedestrians
Things to keep in mind while biking
Specific examples of crashes
How insurance companies and their lawyers try to cheat people out of justice
Overview of a case from start to finish with pointers for people who get hurt while biking
Q+A

We’re very excited about our Community Events this year! Upcoming meetings will include a visit to the BCycle shop, a preview of the city’s bike network planning efforts, and much more! Do you have an idea for a community and/or want to organize one? Shoot us an email: info@madisonbikes.org

E-Mail Newsletter Weekly Update

Queer Valentine’s ride; Freewheel volunteer meeting; Madison Bike Week

Post author By Harald Kliems
Post date February 12, 2024

Madison Bikes, 2024 Beth Skogen Photography – www.bethskogen.com

Last Friday, we celebrated International Winter Bike Day. Part of the Madison Bikes mission is to advocate for biking as a year-round activity and means of transportation. And over the years, we’ve had all kinds of weather on that day — polar vortex temperatures, big snowfalls, freezing rain, … This year the weather was unseasonably warm and pleasant. Together with the City of Madison, we set up shop on the Cap City trail in front of Monona Terrace and handed out donuts, coffee (thanks to Cafe Domestique for sponsoring that!), and stickers. And in the evening, we filled up the bike racks at Working Draft for a happy hour. Thanks to everyone who attended!

Valentine’s Day: No TC, but the Madison Queer Bike Ride

On Wednesday, it’s Valentine’s Day. The Transportation Commission meeting for that day is canceled. But you can join the Madison Queer Bike Ride for a Valentine’s edition of their monthly ride:

It’s the Valentine’s Day edition of the Queer Bike Ride. Let’s skip the restaurant dinner and bike around.
10 mile loop through West Campus, Shorewood Hills and Eagle Heights
Warm up and hang out at Der Rathskeller (Memorial Union) near the end of the loop
Meet at Law Park beach @ 6pm
Bring your bike lights. Bring your valentines.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3D_MfQP3Ot/

Freewheel Volunteer Meeting

Freewheel will be hosting their monthly volunteer meeting on Thursday at 6pm via Zoom. As they’re working on re-establishing a DIY community bike shop in Madison, they’re looking for volunteers and planning for various events. Sign up for the call here.

Madison Bike Week: June 1-8

Save the date: Madison Bike Week is coming, and it’ll be June 1-8 today, coinciding with the Bike Fed’s Wisconsin Bike Week. We have lots of plans and ideas, and we’re excited to see what the community will come up with this year. Stay tuned for more information, and start thinking about what you will organize for Madison Bike Week.