Did you attend yesterday’s Winter Bike Fashion Show? We last had the show all the way back in 2019, and so I wasn’t sure how things were going to go. Would people show up? Does the format still work? We’ll share more later, but I think the show was a great success. Models that showcased a variety of approaches to riding in the cold; volunteers and sponsors contributing their labor and door prizes; a wonderful venue; over 100 people attending. The Fashion Show is back!
Curb management at the Transportation Commission
The Transportation Commission is meeting on Wednesday. One item of interest is an update to the curb management project. What is curb management? The curb on city streets is an important and often contentious dividing line. Should the space to the left of the curb be used for car parking, delivery zones, bike lanes, sidewalk cafes? Should the city charge for the use of that space? And how much, at what times, with what goals? There are many more aspects to this, and this is why the city is undertaking a comprehensive study of policies, practices, and technologies related to managing the curb.
Slide from the presentation (Source: City of Madison)
It is still early days in the project, and the current step aims to finalize a guiding framework by this fall. You can provide input by emailing transportationcommission@cityofmadison.com or registering here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/committees/meeting-schedule/register
Downtown Plan process
The city keeps working on updating its area plans. As the Southeast and Southwest plans are getting closer to completion, the revision of the Downtown area plan has just started. How can you be involved? For now, you can add comments on transportation, land use, and other issues on this interactive comment map: https://plans.cityofmadison.com/downtown-area-plan There are already a lot of bike-related comments on that map!
Bike shop map and t-shirt store
Did you know that we have a map of Madison area bike shops and repair stations on our website? The map was broken for a while, but now we updated the map and you can find it here. Another update to our website: We now have a link to our merch store in the main menu of the page. So if you want to buy a Madison Bikes shirt, go here.
A quick reminder that the Return of the Winter Bike Fashion Show is happening this Sunday. We haven’t hosted a show since COVID, but now we’re back!
Join us (and bring a friend!) at the Goodman Community Center, Iron Works Building, 149 Waubesa Street from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
What is the Winter Bike Fashion Show? A celebration of riding your bike through the colder season. A venue for asking questions about how to keep your toes toasty, goggles fog-free, bikes upright on an icy day. Will there be “fashion”? Uh, sure! Because we think that no matter if you’re wearing Swedish army surplus wool pants, hi-tech bike jackets with built electric heating and Bluetooth controls, or just the coat you’d normally wear around town: Everybody looks amazing when they’re on a bike.
One of our fabulous models: Kimberly
Aside from our models showing off their outfits and answering questions, we’ll have more activities for you:
Help school kids stay warm in the winter: Safe Routes to School is doing a clothing drive. Hats and mittens are the biggest need, but items such as coats and rain pants are also welcome.
Madison Metro will have a bus on site and you can practice putting your bike on their front racks.
Our photographer Dan Stout will take pictures of you and your bikes. Our board member Harald will be around with his video camera to ask you about your favorite (and maybe least favorite) things about riding in the cold.
A commuter attempts to capture the last vestiges of fall color on the Badger Prairie Path (photo by Paul Lata)
Brrrr! Time to get out the winter gear. The Winter Bike Fashion Show couldn’t have been timed much better. More on that and other news below in this week’s edition of the update.
Winter Bike Fashion Show is Sunday
Only six days to go, then we have to wait another year. Whether you are a seasoned winter cyclist or just curious about how and why people manage to bike through the cold and snow, consider attending. And you could win a door prize!
This free, family-friendly event promotes an exchange of ideas to extend your cycling season. Veteran winter bikers will share secrets of their success.
The agenda includes:
Models showing off high tech and budget-friendly winter cycling wear. One model will do a reverse strip demonstrating how to gear up for rides from 60˚ F down to -10˚ F. Models will participate in a Q&A about how they are able to continue biking through the coldest months.
Get your picture taken in your winter biking gear or tell us your best winter biking tips in a short video.
Mark your commute route on a large map to share with others.
A table where you can bring winter clothing to help kids enjoy safe winter biking or walks to school. Hats and mittens are the biggest need, but items such as coats and rain pants are also welcome.
Practice putting your bike on a (non-BRT) bus in a low-pressure environment.
We still need volunteers. Tasks range from setup to break down and everything in between. Many activities offer opportunities to interact more with attendees. Click here to volunteer.
The Fashion Show will be held this Sunday, November 16 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm at the Goodman Community Center- Ironworks building. (Cap City Trail at Waubesa St.)
A cyclist practices putting a bike on a bus. It’s not hard, but a couple of reps make it go more smoothly when you need to put your bike on a bus in real time.
Still time to comment on Southwest Area Plan
The city accepted comments at three input sessions on the Southwest Area Plan, but you can still comment on Southwest Area Draft actions here. The transportation section of the plan starts on page 11. Comments will be accepted until December 4. It’s also informative to view comments by others on this document.
Some specifics on the draft plan include:
Work with Fitchburg and the Arboretum to upgrade Seminole Highway bicycle facilities to All Ages and Abilities standards from the Beltline to the Cannonball path.
Addition of separated bike lanes on Whitney Way.
Increase shared-use path connectivity to and through Elver Park which would include extension of the existing path along Hammersley Rd west to McKenna Blvd.
Three crossings of the Beltline and an upgrade of the Whitney Way crossing(see DOT Beltline Study below). These are increasingly important because over 2,900 housing units have already been built or planned just north of the Beltline between West Towne and Westgate. The additional development will require more infrastructure to allow those who live and/or work in the area to move around.
Draft changes to Southwest Area Street Shared-Use Path & Bicycle Network (City of Madison)
DOT Beltline Study
Freeways can be efficient at moving motor vehicles over long distances, but for the 30-40% of the population who don’t drive, they serve as fences; obstacles to active transportation. Connections between employment centers and businesses to neighborhoods are disrupted.
The city has recognized this in the Southwest Plan which includes three Beltline crossings between Whitney Way and High Point Rd. The West Plan, which is complete, also includes two Beltline crossings parallel to Old Sauk Rd. Other crossings have also been proposed. However, the Beltline is a state highway and implementing these crossings requires cooperation with the DOT. So, whenever the DOT considers freeway crossings and other improvements, we should be all ears.
Good news, one of these opportunities is coming up soon. WisDOT will hold a virtual public involvement meeting for the Beltline Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) study. For the first time since 2014, the DOT will present preferred strategies and gather feedback on the Preferred Strategy Package and information included in the Draft PEL Summary Report. There is a lot in this report including information on many new crossings as well as parallel routes.
The meeting will be on Thursday, December 4, at 5:30 PM. We’ll share updates and sign-in details as they become available.
Be Bright
One of my favorite advocacy activities is participating in Be Bright, the partnership of UW-Police and the City of Madison. Here’s how it works: UW police stop bicyclists who are riding without lights and instead of just handing out tickets, they take a moment to educate the bicyclists about bike light laws. Cyclists then get to choose – either accept a citation or allow volunteers or city employees to put a front and rear light on their bike. This gives volunteers a chance to do further education and connect with cyclists.
Most bicyclists were students with diverse backgrounds, many of whom rely on their bicycle for transportation. Quite a few were new to Madison and hadn’t considered using bicycle lights before. Almost all were enthusiastic about getting free bicycle lights and many were eager to learn more about use of lights and safe bicycle riding.
During just two hours, police stopped over 130 bicyclists, most of whom left with free lights. In some cases, they just had to be reminded to turn on the lights on their bicycles. It was great to see cyclists ride away with their new lights twinkling on a safer journey.
Members of UWPD, the City of Madison, and community volunteers educate and light up bicyclists on the East Campus Mall (photo by Paul Lata)
Transportation Commission Meeting
Willy St Rush-Hour Lane Removal:
The trial: Rush-hour lanes were removed from Willy Street in September to test whether a single motor vehicle lane in each direction would be adequate. Parking was prohibited in these lanes during rush-hour prior to the trial but was allowed during the trial except near corners. Users of the road and sidewalk were surveyed.
Results: Automobile travel times before and during the trial did not differ and backups did not result from the lane removal. The survey drew 1520 responses, 72% of which were from motorists. Results showed that 91% of bicyclists, 88% of peds, 76% of Willy St residents, 35% of motorists, and 31% of merchants favored removal of the lanes.
Decision: After considering data and comments collected during the trial, the commission voted to make removal of rush-hour lanes permanent. The city will install traffic cameras on Willy Street to enable them to monitor and adjust signal timing and parking restrictions. The parking restrictions near intersections during the trial period will mostly be rescinded.
Milwaukee Street Resurfacing/Utilities project
Milwaukee St between the Starkweather Creek Bridge and Woodmans will be completely rebuilt in 2027 together with the development of the Voit Farm lot into a mixed-use neighborhood. Not all details are available yet, but the city wanted feedback from the Transportation Commission on a four-lane road vs. a Two-Way Left-Turn Lane (TWLTL) design.
Both options include a two-way multi-use path on the north side of Milwaukee Street.
No decisions were made at this meeting, but the TWLTL design option received some positive comments from the commission. In addition to the multi-use path on the north side, the addition of a bike lane on the south side was also discussed.
Two options for street layouts for Milwaukee Street (City of Madison)
That’s it for this week’s update. Just a pat on the back for all of you who have been commenting orally or in writing regarding bicycling issues at the Transportation Commission and planning meetings. This participation helps city officials understand our real-world experiences and priorities and helps to create infrastructure that is safe and accessible for everyone. Without this input, vocal minorities could distort perceptions and influence decisions in ways that could mislead decision-makers.
Cyclists roll through the Holiday Fantasy in Lights
Welcome to the Madison Bikes Newsletter. It’s getting dark earlier, meaning it’s extra-important to bring lights on your commute so you can see, and more importantly be seen. Wisconsin state law requires nighttime bicycle riders to have a front light and a rear reflector at a minimum, though adding rear light (solid or flashing) is even better.
Did you know that flashing bike lights are not allowed in some European countries– France, Germany, and the Netherlands included? The argument against them is that they might distract other road users, but in the case of the daytime running lights we use in the US, that’s kind of the point. Personally, I feel safer with a bright, intermittently flashing front and rear light during the day, though I generally don’t have them on when riding on a bike path and I always change them to steady when it gets dark. There’s nothing worse than riding on the path at night with an oncoming cyclist with a bright flashing front light pointed right at you. OK, maybe lifted pickup trucks with aftermarket LED bulbs are actually the worst, but you get the point.
This week we have some event, advocacy, and cycling news to share.
Winder Bike Fashion Show
After a several-year hiatus, Madison Bikes’ Winter Bike Fashion Show is back on November 16th from 1:30 – 4:30pm at the Goodman Center, Ironworks building.
Join us for an afternoon of cold-weather fashion as 12 models strut their winter stuff down the runway. Models will participate in a Q&A about how they continue biking through the coldest months, so come ready with any questions you might have! The event will also feature:
A humorous reverse strip demonstrating how to gear up for rides from 60˚ F down to -10˚ F.
An opportunity to practice putting your bike on a Madison Bus bike rack.
Help kids enjoy safe winter biking or walks to school by bringing winter clothing donations.
Get your picture taken in your winter biking gear or tell us your best winter biking tips for a short video.
Mark your commute route on a large map to share with others.
We still have room for more volunteers, so if you’re interested in helping out with setup/teardown or managing one of our event tables, please fill out the form to let us know!
Join the discussion and let us know if you can make it on the FB event here.
A Successful Week Without Driving
Thanks again for joining the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC) for the Week Without Driving Community Discussion in Madison last month! It was such a meaningful conversation — we really appreciated you joining us and being so engaged in the discussion. The event recording is now available on YouTube and posted on the 2025 Week Without Driving webpage if you’d like to revisit or share it.
Feel free to reach out if you have any ideas or feedback. Thanks again for being part of the conversation!
Madison Cyclist Recovering after Hit-and-Run
On Oct. 1, a driver made an illegal turn near Camp Randall, hit longtime rider Allen Clauss, and fled. Allen spent weeks in the hospital recovering from multiple broken bones — and still says he can’t wait to ride again. His resilience is inspiring, but no one should have to endure this. We need stronger enforcement, safer street design, and a culture that holds drivers accountable for endangering lives.
