Nothing like late winter/early spring to give us weather whiplash. Sunny and warm one day, cold and windy the next, and then snow. This is why we wear and carry layers when biking in Wisconsin.
During the warm spell, I snapped this photo of a Trek employee on his day off, enjoying a ride with his doggo. He says that the dog loves these outings so much that he immediately jumps in the trailer when it comes out.
In Case You Missed It
Madison Bikes member interview
Madison Commons published an interview I did with them for their series, Common Ground. They ask the same questions to all interviewees. my comments are not all about bicycling, but many touch on why we need to have better transportation options for all ages and abilities. I also talked about city growing pains and how the city must change to keep up with those needs.
1000 Friends Transportation Academy this spring
A reminder that if you are interested in learning more about our transportation system and how to be an advocate for a more sustainable and equitable future, you can still apply to participate in the Transportation Academy hosted by 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. This is the first time this 10-week course has been offered in Madison, and it might not be offered again for quite some time, so don’t miss your chance. It’s free, and no experience is needed.
The course consists of a mix of online and in-person meetings and runs from April 2-June 4 on Wednesdays (virtual) or Thursdays (in-person) from 4-6 pm. The deadline to apply is March 14.
New Bicycle Friendly Businesses in Fitchburg
Four new businesses in Fitchburg received Bicycle Friendly Business awards. The city has really been pushing hard to get businesses to apply, and the League of American Bicyclists announced that Alterra Design and Juniper Apartments received silver designations, and Tabby & Jack’s and Ten Pin Alley got bronze. You can view all the new awards across the country here.
Thank Bill Lunney for many of the great trails in Dane County
If you venture outside Madison for a ride, you’ve probably used a trail through a park made possible by the hard work of Bill Lunney. He was the chair of the Dane County Parks Commission for many years, and he passed away this past week. Read more about his work in this piece by Dave Zweifel in the Cap Times.
The week ahead
Wednesday
Transportation Commission: The TC will be discussing plans for the reconstruction of Regent Street from Park St to Randall. You can view the documents, plans, current public comments, staff presentation, etc., for this item on the city website.
The configuration recommended by city staff does not include any bicycle accommodations on Regent St, instead concentrating on improving connections to the SW Path and parallel neighborhood streets. However, the sidewalk would be widened considerably, the overall street width narrowed, and pedestrian crossings would be improved. Bus pull-outs and car parking bays would be constructed along the curb. Wider sidewalks would open up the potential for trees, which don’t exist on Regent St at this time.
Also on the TC agenda is the 2027-2032 Transportation Improvement Plan. Each year, the city submits its plan for construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, and other maintenance on roads, highways, and bike/ped infrastructure for the next five years. These are planned projects, but some may be delayed or rescheduled based city priorities or funding.
Some of this is quite mundane, like patching a badly-deteriorated street through the neighborhood. But other projects completely rebuild a street – such as Regent – and give the city a chance to change what a street looks and feels like. Other projects add important bike-ped connections: Paths, over/underpasses, and separated bike facilities. There are some exciting connections planned.
You can watch the meeting and/or register to speak or submit your own comments here. The meeting is at 5:00 pm online.
CORP Trailside Bike Repair: Also Wednesday, CORP will hold a clinic on trailside bike repair at Black Saddle Bike Shop at 5:30 pm. Learn what to carry and how to do basic repairs. Registration required.
Saturday
CORP Trailside Bike Repair: CORP will hold a clinic on trailside bike repair geared to women, femme, trans, and non-binary bicyclists at both the East and West Trek shops at 11:30 am. Learn what to carry and how to do basic repairs. Registration required.
Mark your calendars for these future meetings
March 18: Public Information Meeting for the Military Ridge Trail paving through the city of Verona. Today, the paved portion of the trail ends at the eastern end of Verona and proceeds west as a crushed-limestone trail. This paving project will provide year-round access through the city to the high school on the western side of the city.
March 23: Deadline to submit comments on the Metropolitan Planning Organization Active Transportation Plan for Dane County. View the draft plan and submit comments on the MPO Biking and Walking page.
April 9: Public Information Meeting for Phase 2B of the West Towne Path, which would take the path from Gammon Rd to Zor Shrine Pl. This is the final segment for the path that runs from Junction Rd to Whitney Way.
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.
Thanks to our sponsors who make our events possible!
