To everyone’s surprise: It’s not actually spring yet! We’re back in freezing temperatures and the bike paths are much emptier again. Ah well.
Park Street
The horrible crash that killed 17-year-old high school student Sasha Rosen on Park Street continues to be on everyone’s minds and in the media. Last Wednesday, the Transportation Commission discussed the fatal crash, what led to it, and how we can prevent fatal crashes–on Park Street and elsewhere–going forward. For a live recap of the meeting discussion, you can read Mike Zenz’s account on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/therealzenz.bsky.social/post/3mf6a6xgqck27
Many members of the public spoke at the meeting or submitted written comments, asking for action and recounting their own experiences of traffic violence or reckless driving on and around Park Street. City staff gave a long presentation. The talked about what they have already done (e.g. make sure that all signage and signals at the site of the crash met and exceeded regulation; increased police enforcement right after the crash); what cannot be done at the moment (e.g. automated camera enforcement because state law doesn’t allow for it; closing down a travel lane because Park Street is a highway controlled by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation); and what they plan on doing going forward in the long term (e.g. the North-South BRT project will include many safety improvements) and in the short term (collect more data). Members of the commission (disclosure: I am one of them) offered suggestions and asked many pointed questions.
Media coverage of the crash also continued:
- The Cap Times reports on how the school district do and do not work together when it comes to traffic safety issues: https://captimes.com/news/government/madison-student-s-death-prompts-talk-of-more-city-school-collaboration/article_fa1653d5-6697-4880-956a-b94806b8171e.html
- The Wisconsin State Journal reports on the “Safe Routes to School” program, which is a partnership between the Wisconsin Bike Fed, the city, and the school district: https://madison.com/news/local/education/local_schools/article_6ece42f8-dda1-41c6-adb6-f25743555e5b.html
- Channel 3000 delivered the news that the driver who killed Sasha allegedly drove 62 miles per hour and was charged with second-degree reckless homicide. https://www.channel3000.com/news/police-driver-that-killed-teen-was-driving-at-62-mph/article_4116e3e7-c8cf-4d0c-b99c-2fe8c23cf5e6.html
- The Cap Times also provides a recap of the Transportation Commission meeting last week. https://captimes.com/news/government/park-street-crash-prompts-emotional-meeting-on-traffic-safety-fixes/article_5d0c6540-e10d-4515-bd3d-edd08e5469cc.html
If you want to stay up to date with “Safe Streets for Sasha,” the advocacy website now has an option to subscribe to email updates: https://www.safestreetsforsasha.org/
Bike Advocacy Social on Sunday
After successful outing to survey Regent Street and talk to local businesses about the upcoming Regent Street reconstruction last Sunday, the Machinery Row/Madison Bikes advocacy meetup is doing a social next Sunday (3/1): From 5 to 6:30 pm folks will meet at Working Draft Brewing, in an approachable environment where anyone interested in bike advocacy can meet like-minded folks and chat about how we can make Madison a more bike-friendly city.
CORP Clinic for NICA Athletes on Monday
The series of Capital Offroad Pathfinders continues, but this time it’s for the kids. On Monday (2/23) night, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, NICA athletes can come to the Trek Store West and learn about fixing their bikes:
Are your parents sometimes too helpful and as a result you don’t learn how to fix things yourself? No parents allowed in this clinic which will focus on athletes learning common bike repairs, changing a tire, keeping your bike clean and running well.
This clinic will be led by the awesome mechanics at Trek West!
Bike License Plates
Rumor has it that some people who ride bikes also own a car. And may be interested in that car having custom license plates that show their support for biking. Well, the Bike Fed’s got you:
Turn Your Commute Into a Cause: The Wisconsin Bike Safety Plate
Wisconsin is about to become the 27th state to put bicycle safety front and center—and we need your help to cross the finish line.
The Wisconsin Bike Fed is officially launching a campaign to create a “Special Group Plate.” This isn’t just a piece of metal for your car; it’s a rolling billboard for safety and a permanent engine for change.
Why This Matters
Starting in 2027, every plate sold will do two vital things:
1. Generate awareness: It sends a constant, visual safety message to every driver on the road.
2. Fund Education: Proceeds from every sale go directly into bicycle education and safety programs across the state.
In order to make that happen, they need to raise enough money to cover the initial development fee for the plate. You can contribute here: https://give.wisconsinbikefed.org/campaign/766424/donate