With the calendar layout of the holidays this year, it’ll be a quiet few weeks on the advocacy front. You can probably look forward to some end-of-year content that reminds us of all of the cycling-related news and changes of 2024, but that’s not today.
Madison LakeWay: Do you even know what that is? I certainly didn’t until I saw this note about a public meeting coming up on January 23, 2025 “to review the ongoing design work for future Madison LakeWay improvements.” Now I know that it’s the catchy, rebranded name of what we’ve all been calling the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan. LakeWay. 2025 and 2026 is for planning with construction starting in 2027. LakeWay. 🤷♂️ It could work!
Bikes for Kids Wisconsin has opened up their application process for the 2025 season. If your organization is looking to get bikes next year, you have until January 15, 2025 to apply. Sounds like there are a few changes to the process, so go ahead and read through it when you get a chance. Also, before you know it, they’ll be running the volunteer bike cleaning/repair sessions so keep your eyes out for that as the new year gets rolling.
Finally, it’s a good opportunity to revisit the aftermath of the first solid winter storm event of the season with a bit of photographic support. Because both of the photographers were based on the west side and the conditions were pretty lousy for quite awhile, the photos are all from over there. Or over here, if you’re already there, like me.
Here’s an interesting one, taken first thing on Friday morning by Craig Weinhold. These are the flagship 🎉 protected bike lanes that arrived with this year’s Segoe Rd rebuild (stretching from Regent St to University Ave). I don’t know exactly when they were eventually cleared, but I suspect sometime during the day on Friday… 100% by Saturday morning because I rode them myself!
New Segoe Rd protected bike lanes, unblemished by snow removal efforts early in the morning after a significant winter storm
Judging by the shadows, an hour or so later Harald Kliems snapped this pic of a nicely cleared Southwest Path. You barely even need studs, but they do seem like a good idea if you’ve got them. Still, pretty nice riding. Side note: If you do have studs, isn’t it just so flippin’ pleasant when you hit that perfectly thin layer of snow and your ride quiets down to nothing? If you know, you know!
Southwest Path and rider, looking pretty good the morning after a winter event
If one were so inclined, one might try to keep track of who’s responsible for the various types of snow removal (streets division, parks department, etc) on any given stretch of bikeway, but the truth is that nobody knows. OK, that’s technically a joke but you’d be forgiven if you didn’t know because it’s confusing. I certainly don’t know! Keep that report-a-problem site handy.
We had your first real blast of bitterly-cold weather, which prompted questions on our Facebook Community group about how to cope with winter weather. We seem to get the same questions every year: gloves/mittens/cold hands, foggy glasses, studded tires, etc. But that’s OK, because the community discussion group is here for you. Ask all your winter biking questions, and someone — or many people — will have an opinion on the best way to keep biking all year.
The East High School bike repair club got some wonderful media coverage this past week. The club helps members keep their bikes in good shape and teaches skills, cooperation, budget management, as well as helps fellow students with their bikes.
You may see some familiar names in the article, including Bike Fed High School Education Manager, Ben Varick, and former Madison Bikes board member, Emily Sonnneman.
The week ahead
This week has some opportunities for input — to Madison Bikes, Traffic Engineering, and Wisconsin DOT. Plus some positive moves by the city, which is a great chance to tell your representatives that you approve. As always, your voice makes the city and region better. It’s important to speak up.
Monday: Community meeting/brainstorming session
Join us on Monday for our December Community Meeting at the Central Library on West Mifflin St, Room 301. This month we will have a brainstorming session for what you would like to see at community meetings in 2025. Last year we had a ton of great suggestions, ranging from, “Legal dos and don’t if you get into a crash,” to “Combining biking and paddling.”
This is your chance to make suggestions for future topics and activities, and maybe even have a chance to help make it happen. A talk, a ride, a movie, or any other event — it’s up to you.
Even if you don’t have any ideas, come by to meet others from the community. Maybe a great topic will pop into your head when you hear from others.
Tuesday: District 5 traffic safety meeting on Zoom
The Regent Neighborhood Association on the near west side is partnering with city Traffic Engineering to host a Q&A event about traffic safety. You can join via Zoom at 5:30 pm. Although this is geared to alder District 5, it is a chance to bring up for any concerns you might have for bicyclists and trouble spots. Traffic Engineering staff will take back your suggestions and identify future opportunities.
Tuesday: BCycle closes
BCycle normally closes on Dec 15, but because falls on a weekend, the bikes will stay out until Dec 17 to allow staff to finish removing them from the kiosks and docks. So you have a couple more days to use the BCycle before they are gone until March 15. With the acquisition of BCycle by Bicycle Transit Systems, the winter break will probably also be used to rebrand the system.
Tuesday: Autumn Ridge ribbon cutting – 2nd try
Due to the bitter cold last Thursday, the ribbon cutting for the Autumn Ridge path and overpass was delayed until this Tuesday, Dec 17, at 8:30 am. If you would like to attend, head over to 4346 Commercial Avenue. More about the path and the ribbon cutting event can be found on the project web page.
You can check out what the new path looks like via this great video Nick Davies made of his ride.
Friday deadline: Stoughton Rd input to WisDOT
We posted about this in our Facebook Community group, but here’s another reminder. The deadline to provide input on the redesign and rebuilding of the southern portion of Stoughton Rd/Hwy 51 is this Friday, Dec 20. A recording of the last public meeting on November 19, plus all the information about the project is available on the WisDOT project page.
WisDOT has divided rebuilding Stoughton Rd into two separate projects, and this survey covers the area from just south of Hwy 30 to just south of the Beltline. This portion has neighborhoods on both sides and a frontage road on both sides that provide access to the businesses and other land uses. It’s horrible to cross without a car, and the frontage roads aren’t much fun by foot or bicycle either. LaFollette High students need to cross the road if they live on the east side of Stoughton Rd. /shudder/
We have a chance to rebuild the road as an urban boulevard, and city staff are supportive of this alternative, but your input is very important. City staff is practically begging people to fill out the survey in favor of alternative 4 or 5, but many of the neighbors and businesses are supporting keeping the road as a high-speed highway with frontage roads. If you would like to see the full city presentation on this project from the Transportation Commission last week, including the current feedback results, I’ve bookmarked where to start in the meeting recording.
Neighbors may be afraid of traffic in their neighborhood if additional crossings and connections are built, as suggested for the slower-speed alternatives. And they may just like being able to jump on a fast north-south connection. But if we want connections across this road and a chance to make it more pedestrian and bicyclist friendly, we need to make our voice heard.
If the majority of public input supports a big, fast, limited-crossing option, it will be hard for the city to argue that WisDOT should reduce the cross section, lower the speed limit, and add additional street connections. Please fill out the survey before next Friday.
Also: City kicking off 20 is Plenty
The city plans to lower the speed limit on residential streets – generally streets with no center line – to 20 mph. Right now, the default speed limit is 25 mph, and while 5 mph may not seem like much, it can make a huge difference in how a street “feels” to those walking, biking, or playing in the neighborhood.
Although most people are in favor of safer, slower streets in their own neighborhood, there has been a lot of negative feedback on social media and in the press. This would be a great opportunity to send a note of support to your alder. Letting them know you like a policy or change is just as important as contacting them when there is a problem.
The year is nearing its end and we had the first seriously cold weather recently. So one may think that bike news would be slowing down. But they are not!
Winter Bike Social, and planning for future community meetings
We had a great Winter Bike Social last week. Over 40 people congregated at Working Draft and chatted about how to keep hands warm, goggles condensation-free, and how glorious it can be to ride on freshly fallen snow. Given the success of the event, we may do another one of these later in winter. Thanks to everyone who showed and to Working Draft for hosting us.
Speaking of community meetings: Pretty much every month this year, Madison Bikes organized a community meeting. Topics and format varied: We biked through the Arb with experts on native plants; we talked about how to combine paddling and pedaling; we had city staff report on the latest biking initiatives, etc. We want to keep this going in 2025, and for that purpose we invite the community to a planning meeting next Monday. If you have an idea for an event or would like to help others to implement their ideas, join us at the Central Library in Room 104 on Monday, Dec 16 from 6 to 8 PM. We’ll have some refreshments available.
Transportation Commission: Mifflin St Diverter
It’s the last Transportation Commission meeting of the year, and one of the items on the agenda is the Mifflin St diverter. This diverter was installed at Mifflin and Paterson as an experiment to reduce motor vehicle volumes on the Mifflin St bike boulevard. The city collected car speed and volume data during the experiment, as well as resident feedback through a survey. The results are in and will be presented at the Transportation Commission. If you would like to submit comment on the topic, send an email to transportationcommission@cityofmadison.com or register in support/opposition/to speak here https://www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/committees/meeting-schedule/register
Autumn Ridge Path ribbon cutting
Image: City of Madison
Celebrate Madison’s latest addition to its multi-use path network: The Autumn Ridge Path and overpass appear to be done, and the city is celebrating:
The public is invited to a ribbon-cutting at 2 p.m., Dec. 12, 2024 on Madison’s east side to celebrate the City’s newest multi-use path, Autumn Ridge. The ribbon cutting will be located at 4346 Commercial Avenue
The Autumn Ridge Path will create a shared-use path connection between Milwaukee St. and Commercial Ave (north of Highway 30), including a new bridge over Highway 30. The project will improve safety and accessibility for non-motorized modes of transportation to cross Highway 30, better connecting neighborhoods on either side of the highway. The Autumn Ridge Path expands the greater bike network of the area, as the path connects (via local streets) to the existing overpass over Stoughton Rd (Highway 51) at Portland Pkwy, through the Eastmorland neighborhood to the recently constructed Garver Path, and finally to the Capital City Trail and Downtown Madison-area. Long term plans include extending this path network further to the northeast.
Book Club: Killed by a Traffic Engineer
Madison Bikes is teaming up with the Bike Fed, Machinery Row, and District 11 alder Bill Tishler to host a book club this winter. The book is Wes Marshall’s “Killed by a Traffic Engineer.” Marshall highlights the role of the traffic engineering profession in creating infrastructure that’s not safe for people walking and biking (or even driving), and how a lot of their practice is based on questionable data and models.
The Bicycle Book Club is free, open to the public, and will take place over three Sunday afternoons at Machinery Row Bicycles, located at 601 Williamson St. If you buying the book is a hurdle to participation: Madison Bikes bought a limited number of copies that you can pick up at Machinery Row. Here’s the schedule:
We will plan advocacy efforts around infrastructure improvements that you want to see. We’ll be drafting proposals and emailing elected officials! Bring your hopes and dreams! (and a laptop or notebook)
Sunday, January 26th: 4-6pm
We will discuss the book and our reactions to it while identifying both problematic and well-designed infrastructure in our city.
Sunday, February 2nd: 4-6pm (Virtual option available)
We will discuss the pieces of infrastructure that we identified in the first meeting with engineers to explore the specific street design choices that impact the safety and comfort of people outside vehicles.
Sunday, February 9th: 4-6pm
We will plan advocacy efforts around infrastructure improvements that you want to see. We’ll be drafting proposals and emailing elected officials! Bring your hopes and dreams! (and a laptop or notebook)
BCycle seasonal closure
Heads-up that BCycle is approaching its annual hibernation date. The system will close down on December 15 (and usually the closure will take place over a couple days before that date).
Santa Cycle Rampage
Are you ready for another year of the Madison Santa Cycle Rampage? Join hundreds of other Santas to ride around the city and spread holiday joy. Tickets are $15 for adults; $5 for children. Meet at Breese Stevens starting at 10 AM; roll-out at 11.
The Wisconsin Bike Fed is seeking a full-time professional to serve as Government Affairs Manager. Ideally located in Madison, WI, the Government Affairs Manager reports to the Executive Director and advocates for the legislative agenda of the Wisconsin Bike Fed. The ideal candidate exercises sound judgment and thrives in diverse work environments. They are also highly organized, outgoing, have excellent written and verbal communication skills, and are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. The Bike Fed is one of the largest statewide bicycle advocacy organizations in the country. This is a great opportunity for a highly motivated, professional and creative individual to help grow the bicycle advocacy movement.
The posting closes on December 20.
Provide input on WI Outdoor Recreation Plan
The Department of Natural Resources is drafting a statewide outdoor recreation plan and is requesting input by December 15. Let’s make sure the DNR hears from people who bike, hike, and walk through our beautiful Wisconsin outdoors.
Are you an avid cyclist, runner, or hiker? Maybe just a general outdoor enthusiast? The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants to hear from you! The DNR is seeking input on the draft Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. The public is encouraged to submit comments using the online public input form on the DNR’s Wisconsin Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan webpage. Comments may also be sent by mail, phone, or email. Submit comments by Dec. 15, 2024 to: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources C/O John Pohlman, DNR Property Planner 101 S. Webster St. PO Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707 John.Pohlman@wisconsin.gov or 608-264-6263
First snow on the Southwest path (photo: Craig Weinhold)
Welcome to the update. Looks like we’re in a rapid transition to winter. Cycling in winter can still be fun and practical. We just need some time to adapt. This week’s well timed Winter Bike Social can help with the adjustment process. Here’s the latest.
Winter Bike Social is Tuesday
Join Madison Bikes on December 3rd for a Winter Bike Social at Working Draft. Stop by any time between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Bring your bike and your favorite piece of winter bike gear. A chance to compare notes and enjoy a beer or warm drink before winter really sets in.
Scene from Winter Bike Day 2024. Beth Skogen Photography – www.bethskogen.com
Report Winter Bike Trail issues
Just a reminder for winter riders. When you encounter an icy area on a bikeway, help keep other path-users safe. It’s easy to do. Just go to “Report a Problem” on the City of Madison website and fill out the form. It usually takes me a minute or two. This improves the city’s ability to prioritize plowing and clearing of trails and helps keep us safe.
Upcoming meetings
Southwest Area Plan:
Two virtual meetings will be held on December 3rd. One at noon and another at 6PM. Similar to the open house held on Nov. 19, there will be an introductory presentation and opportunities to ask questions or provide feedback. Registration is required via the project website. The website also includes maps and descriptions of the project.
Southeast Area Plan
An in-person meeting will be held on December 4 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at La Follette High School. This is an opportunity to meet in person with staff from city departments to learn about projects and provide input. There will be a short introductory meeting. A virtual meeting will be held on December 5 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Registration is required to attend this meeting. The project website includes transportation maps.
E Mifflin Diverter
The diverter test on the E Mifflin Bike Boulevard at E Mifflin St and Paterson St will be removed the week of December 2. It is likely the future of the diverter will be discussed at the Transportation Commission meeting on Dec 11. The deadline for completing the survey regarding the diverter has passed but you can still submit comments or register to speak at the meeting at this link.
“Built for Safety” Video series
As part of the Vision Zero strategy, Madison has implemented a significant amount of new infrastructure to protect bicyclists and pedestrians. Not all motorists or cyclists understand the logic behind the improvements or how to use them most effectively. Some motorists have pushed back against the improvements because of concern about slowing motor vehicle traffic.
The Bike Fed recently released an excellent video, “Built for Safety: Complete Street Features for All Users.” This video, produced by the Bike FED in partnership with the Wisconsin DOT and NHSTA, helps bicyclists and motorists understand some common traffic calming features. English and Spanish versions are available.
Scene from “Built for Safety”
This video can be a valuable tool for helping those impacted by infrastructure changes to understand the changes and behave appropriately when they encounter them. Feel free to share it with those who you think would benefit most.
A bicyclist rides down the Yahara River Path in Winter
Welcome to the Madison Bikes newsletter. It’s a light week in bike advocacy news with the holiday, but there is some highway news we think you should know about.
Stoughton Road Redesign
The second public involvement meeting for the Stoughton Road redesign project was last week, and WisDOT is looking for more feedback on the design alternatives. The project scope includes US51 (Stoughton Road) from just South of Highway 30 to just South of the Beltline. That corridor of Stoughton Road is notoriously dangerous, with record numbers of crashes including 8 bicycle/pedestrian injury crashes and 2 fatal vehicle on pedestrian crashes. 83% of all crashes in this corridor are at intersections, with both Buckeye and Broadway being ranked in the 10 worst intersections for crashes in Madison. In addition to the poor safety record, WisDOT has observed concerning and inefficient traffic conditions at most existing intersections and anticipates 1/2 mile backups by 2050 if no changes are introduced.
For the redesign, the materials included 6 options (including the “no change” option). Alternatives included expanding intersections or removing frontage roads and providing direct access to businesses. Some of them propose reducing speed limits to 35mph and adding safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure. You can see all the design options in detail on the project site, or check out the one-page summary here.
Personally, I would love to see a number of changes to Stoughton Road to improve safety and access for users outside motor vehicles, including reduced speed limits, increasing the number of safe crossings, and reducing the total width of the roadway to allow for more green space. Studies have shown that increasing the number of lanes and adding extra capacity for motor vehicles does not have a positive impact on the amount of traffic, but instead encourages more people to drive resulting in the same or worse traffic congestion as before the expansion. The only reliable way to reduce traffic congestion is to provide viable alternatives to driving. What can you do to help with that mission and make biking better in Madison? It only takes a few minutes to fill out the survey and let WisDOT know you care about bike, pedestrian, and transit access.
Come Chat Winter Biking With Us
Looking ahead to next week: on Tuesday, December 3rd Madison Bikes is hosting a Winter Bike Social at Working Draft, from 5:30-7:30. We’ll be enjoying warm drinks and chatting about all things biking, including how to have a successful ride in cold and wet weather. Stop by any time and bring your bike and your favorite piece of Winter bike gear!
That’s all we have for you this week. Thanks for being part of the Madison Bikes community.
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:
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.
This is a guest post by Dan Pensinger. Dan attended last week’s public input meeting on potential changes to the Howard Temin Lakeshore Path on the UW campus. Our regular newsletter is taking a break this week.
Edit (Nov 13): The post was edited to clarify the scope of the study. The study only looked at the path between Willow Creek and the Limnology building. We also added links to the video of the meeting and the full slide deck on the project page: https://cpd.fpm.wisc.edu/howard-temin-lakeshore-path-paving-and-lighting-study/
The Lakeshore Path is a major connecting route between the Memorial Union, lakeshore dorms, Picnic Point, Eagle Heights, and the UW Hospital. Last week, the UW held a meeting about a study looking at the section of the path between Willow Creek on the west and the Limnology Building on the east (see image below). The path sees a lot of traffic from walkers, runners, and cyclists. The area under study is currently surfaced with crushed limestone, which gets muddy and washes out with rain, and is icy and hazardous during the winter. The part of the path along Muir Woods is tree covered on both sides, making it pitch black at night. This makes many path users afraid to use it after dark, and increases the risk of collision between pedestrians and cyclists. These difficulties with using the path sometimes force cyclists onto narrow Observatory Drive where they have to contend with traffic passing on a very steep hill, or to busy University Ave, which is much more hazardous when traveling westbound.
The University commissioned landscaping group Damon Farber to study the issue and make recommendations. The results of their online surveys indicate that about a third of interested parties want no changes to the path’s current state. The other two thirds are not necessarily opposed to paving and lighting options, if these options are cognizant of environmental and wildlife concerns along the lake. Damon Farber split the path into a west section by the dorms and an east section by Muir Woods for separate consideration. After the presentation by Damon Farber staff there was a small group breakout session for attendees to provide feedback.
Paving the path
Damon Farber presented two paving options for the western section. Both options included asphalt for cyclists and a more shock absorbing shoulder material for runners. The main difference between these options was the shoulder material being made from a porous rubber or something less water permeable but still considered environmentally friendly. There were questions about how winter salting would be handled with different surfaces and proximity to the lake. Professional ecologists were present to give informed discussion, and some criticism on the current salting procedure used by the University. I would say that overall attendees to the meeting were supportive of paving options, with several cyclists present giving similar input. There were a couple of folks who objected to making any changes to the path.
The east section options presented included a permeable asphalt or a raised boardwalk. Other attendees and I raised A LOT of concerns about the boardwalk option. Wooden boardwalks can be extremely slippery for bikes when wet. It was also not clear how the boardwalk would interact with the university’s snow removal equipment, and if the boardwalk might encounter the bridge effect where airflow underneath leads to icing. There are potential ADA issues with some boardwalk surfaces, and the boardwalk may obstruct emergency vehicles. The raised nature of the boardwalk also increases the stakes for path conflicts between walkers, runners, and bikers. Furthermore, students returning home to the lakeshore dorms are sometimes inebriated and would be more likely to hurt themselves falling off the boardwalk. Hopefully Damon Farber takes this feedback into account in their recommendation to the University.
Lighting
On the subject of lighting, in general those who opposed it tended to be those who also opposed paving. The rest of the attendees supported lighting with some caveats. Damon Farber prepared their proposals according to recommended best practices for reducing light pollution and minimizing wildlife impact. This means avoiding lighting containing blue light on the eastern section through the woods, as many studies have indicated blue light is harmful for both wildlife and humans at night. Other color options suggested by Damon Farber were red and amber. Red is considered wildlife-friendly, but studies have shown that it is not favored highly by people compared to amber, which is also considered wildlife friendly, and Damon Farber included more example materials of amber lighting. Lighting on the western section of the path by the dorms could be either white or colored, but for colored lighting to have the desired impact, current exterior lights on the dorms would also need to be changed from bright white.
The other lighting discussion points were about the design/height of light fixtures and whether a curfew for the lights should be implemented. I strongly opposed a light curfew as light helps avoid collisions and the path usage would be increased at night if it was well lit. From personal experience, I know students study late at College Library, which is the 24-hour library on campus and located directly on the path. Students then take the path back to the dorms at all hours of the night, but often report feeling unsafe doing so without lighting.
Conclusion and what’s next
The Howard Temin Lakeshore Path is a scenic area and one of the most utilized multi-use paths in Madison. The path extends 2 miles through campus with a single street crossing, making it exceptionally safe from a traffic standpoint. Both paving and lighting will make the path more usable during all weather conditions, and at all times of the day. Hopefully, the University moves forward with these options in an environmentally conscientious way. Damon Farber plans to have a few more student-focused feedback opportunities next week, and to present their final recommendations to the University near the end of the year. If you want to watch a video recording of the meeting or see the full slide deck, you can do so on the project page. Any member of the public can email the Damon Farber team at jrefsland@damonfarber.com
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.
Can you believe the weather we are having in late October? Hope you’d been able to get out and enjoy this warm, dry stretch of beautiful fall. A ride through the Arboretum or far out into the country are both great ways to enjoy the colors. And a bit more to come this week.
Atwood Path artwork
As part of the city Percent for Art program, some path artwork and reminders of etiquette appear on the Atwood Paths near Olbrich Park this past week. A discussion ensued on our Facebook community, with some enjoying the additions, and others saying you can’t read them while riding at speed or they didn’t like being scolded with messages.
John Nolen Drive project
The informational meeting on John Nolen Drive had both good and bad news. The bad news is that at this time, the underpass of JND between North Shore Dr and Broom St has been removed from the plan. The cost to build it was estimated to be almost as much as the entire rest of the road project. The city did show two possible versions of the underpass, but they are not planning on moving forward with either one at this time. The underpass would not have been constructed with the first phase of the JND project regardless of cost because of funding from the state and federal government – which makes up most of the funding for the first phase – wouldn’t have covered it.
Another bad news item from the meeting, although more expected, was that the Capital City Path from Lakeside to North Shore – essentially the causeway – will have to be closed for about a year during construction. There is just no way to keep it open while the bridges are being rebuilt. The roadway portion will be down to one lane in each direction, and bicycle and pedestrian traffic will be detoured around Monona Bay.
The good news of the project is that the new path on the northwest side of North Shore and JND through Brittingham Park will be built before the construction starts, creating a connection between the SW Path and Broom that avoids JND completely. The JND intersections at North Shore Dr and Broom will also be vastly improved, making crossing these streets and JND itself much easier and safer (once all the construction dust clears.)
You can view a recording of the meeting and/or see the slides on the project website.
Autumn Ridge bridge raising
We don’t have any photos, but on Tuesday there was a bridge placed over Highway 30 that will be part of the Autumn Ridge Path on the east side. We won’t be able to use the path and overpass until next year, but this is going to be a great connection for the area.
One of our community members mentioned on Facebook that he took video. Maybe he’ll share that.
The week ahead
Wednesday, 5:00, online Transportation Commission will meet, but there isn’t much exciting on the agenda. You can also watch the meeting or register to comment at that link as well.
The TC will receive an update on BCycle/Bicycle Transit Systems transition, but as of this writing, there are no documents on the item, so it’s hard to say how extensive or interesting it will be. There will also be an update of the Transportation and operating and capital budgets for next year. Again, no documents at this time, but there may be information on what may change if the referendum doesn’t pass.
Please vote!
Early voting is available until Sunday, Nov 3. Early voting is available across the city at libraries three locations on the UW campus, and a variety of other locations, so everyone should be able to find a place close to where they live, work, or shop. If you are not registered at your current address, you can register at the same time as you vote through Friday, Nov 1 or on Election Day.
Although Madison Bikes has not taken an official position on anything on the ballot, Harald and Craig wrote an excellent blog post on how a referendum failure might affect bicycling – including maintenance, safety programs, and future infrastructure.
Obviously, voting is incredibly important, and your voice on all things local, state, and federal. We all know how important Wisconsin will be in the presidential race – the last two presidential elections came down to 3 votes per ward across the state. Please make sure you are one of those votes.
This is a post by Harald Kliems and Craig Weinhold. The views expressed are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Madison Bikes.
City Budgets and Referendum
The city’s operating budget and its structural deficit have been a hot topic since March, with dire pronouncements of service cuts to pools, libraries, and waste drop-off sites. In July, the common council voted to put a $22 million referendum on the Nov 5 ballot. If passed, the average Madison home (valued at $457,300) would see a property tax increase of about $230/year, or about $20/month.
Since July, the financial landscape has changed slightly due to proactive budget cuts, better than expected investment income, reduced General Obligation borrowing, and a new proposed Infrastructure Special Charge (described below). As of the mayor’s October Executive budget (which will be voted on by the common council in November), just $5.6M in cuts are now proposed if the referendum fails to pass. No additional cuts are expected for 2026. But come 2027, if there’s no change in state funding, we’ll be back in the same situation.
If the referendum passes, the mayor predicts the budget will be good for five years without any additional cuts or hand-wringing, even if state funding does not come through.
Snow on the Southwest Path. One proposed budget cut: Reducing multi-use path snow removal
So, what’s at risk for bicycling?
On first sight, there are only three items to be cut if the referendum fails:
Snow removal from multi-use paths removal will no longer be done with overtime hours (projected savings: a measly $15,000). How this plays out depends on the vagaries of winter weather. Clearing major paths on the weekends and holidays was only started in 2020 through a budget amendment. Before then, weekend snow events often led to persistent bad path conditions.
Metro must reduce service hours to the tune of $500,000, in addition to a one-time $500,000 cut in 2025. The cuts will likely focus on early/late and weekend service. Metro is an important backup option for bikers.
One vacant traffic engineering position will be eliminated. This will slow projects and impact staff morale.
But also at stake are subtle, longer-lasting things:
Optics: Regardless of the referendum’s outcome, the spectre of Madison’s budget problems will now loom over every project and Common Council vote. In general that’s not a bad thing, but “budget” is an easy argument to lob against anything one dislikes. E.g., when two alders last year spoke out against the Autumn Ridge path, they framed their opposition as budget concerns (despite voting for plenty of other expensive projects closer to their districts). Social media flames blaming BRT and bicyclists for every woe on the road are now invoking “budget!” as a primary line of attack.
Morale: The city’s transportation and engineering staff are fantastic. They love this city even though many of them cannot afford to live here. They get lower pay than in the private sector while having to endure all the frustration of working in government and being held to an impossibly high standard by the public. The 2025 budget cuts have created anxiety about salary, benefits, workload, team size, etc. Staff are being asked to do more with less, and that will only get worse. Regardless of how the referendum turns out, some staff may be looking for other options. And fewer staff means less capacity to bring in grants and to plan and deliver projects.
Community and Culture: It’s hard to predict which and how many Madison events, activities, and experiences will be impacted by the budget cuts. E.g., the Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival is one of about fifty organizations that would lose grants from the Madison Arts Commission. Would they soldier on? Will a stretched Madison Parks department still host Ride the Drive? Will Make Music Madison be more subdued? Public art? These may not affect bicycling per se, but they certainly are part of what makes bicycling in Madison special and joyful.
“Infrastructure Special Charge”
One way to make up for the missing tax dollars if the referendum fails is an “infrastructure special charge.” The revenue from this charge would be used to cover street repair and maintenance, lighting, signage, signals, pavement markings, and bike & ped facilities. The charge will be based on how many car trips a property is assumed to generate, which, in turn, is estimated by the number of parking spaces. A single-family home will see about $6.35 in monthly charge on their municipal service bill, right next to their water, sewer, and urban forestry charges. The city hopes to raise $10M annually from this charge.
It’s a novel use of special charges that have historically been used for sidewalks, though the City started using them for Urban Forestry and Recycling in 2023. This is an innovative strategy, but it’s bound to draw howls of protest and a likely legal fight. Other communities that have tried instituting similar transportation fees have been dragged to court.
How the Operating and Capital Budgets relate
The current budget woes affect the operating budget that covers recurring expenses like staff and loan payments. Of the proposed $417M operating budget, 62% goes to salaries and benefits for the City’s 3,000+ employees.
The capital budget, on the other hand, is primarily about big one-time costs like new roads, paths, buildings, or bus fleets. The construction of new bike infrastructure largely falls to the capital budget.
The two budgets intertwine in both direct and indirect ways:
Capital projects require loans, and the repayment of those loans often comes from the operating budget. This is called general obligation or GO borrowing (aka “debt service”), and it’s the second largest item in the budget ($68M, about 16% of the budget).
For example, the 2024 capital budget has $273M in projects, of which about ⅓ ($87M) is funded with GO borrowing. That means the $4.8M “Bike Path” expense on page 388 might require about $1.6M in borrowing. Assuming a worst-case, 10-year, 7% loan for $1.6M, the debt service would come to about $230K per year against the operating budget. That’s small, but not negligible.
Once built, all infrastructure requires maintenance and upkeep. Consider the new Segoe protected bike lanes between Regent St and University Ave: They are too narrow for regular-size street sweepers and snow plows, so city staff will need to transport specialized equipment there, and they’ll need staff trained to operate it.
Speaking of snow removal, property owners are responsible for their sidewalks, but the city is generally responsible for the paths. In fact, free snow removal is a carrot dangled in front of homeowners to get them to agree to paths (e.g., the new Hammersley Rd path). So every new path implies additional snow removal costs for the city.
The Future
The Nov 5 election will likely not flip the state legislature to Democratic control, but it will shake the Republicans’ hold on power. With more seats at the table (and hopefully stepped up city lobbying), Madison should see increased state funding in the coming years.
On the whole, the city’s first-ever $22M referendum is modest and responsible, gives five years of financial clarity, and has a trivial impact on property taxes ($20/month!). It also comes on the heels of significant cuts and belt-tightening across the city. In contrast, MMSD has been using referendums as a business-as-usual strategy, with seven of them in the past 25 years.
No matter how the referendum turns out, Madison needs its bike community to continue showing up in support of smart transportation. Keep celebrating changes, large, and small, that have improved your daily rides. And involve your alder, your neighbor, your coworker, and others in that celebration. Stay engaged with the Southwest and Southeast area plans that kick off in the next two months. Show up to the budget hearings at the common council (Nov 12-14). And, as you do speak up, keep the budget optics in mind.
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