Hope everyone made it through the storms intact. I saw lots of photos of trees down, house damage, and smashed car windshields/back windows, but no one posted any bike tragedies. So, unless all the bikes were under shelter, we may have found another advantage of not owning a car.
I took advantage of throwing my bike on the BRT and then hightailing it home from the bus between tornado warnings. Our part of town escaped all the hail, but I quickly pulled my bike onto the porch instead of taking the extra time to unlock the shed!
The week in review
At the Transportation Commission, there was a long discussion of how Regent Street should be reconstructed. The vote on the plans was divided, with the chair breaking the tie to approve the plan presented by city staff.
The reconstruction does not include any bike facilities on Regent Street, but will feature wider sidewalks, improved crossings, and bike lanes on cross streets. Whether this makes it easier to access destinations on Regent Street by bike is still to be seen.
If you would like to watch the discussion, you can view a recording of the meeting on the city website. The portion of the meeting regarding Regent Street starts at 10:15. The Board of Public Works will also discuss the design on Wednesday before it heads to final approval at the Council.
The week ahead
Tuesday
Northside Bike Infrastructure: How to Get the Future We Want
Discussion of biking on the north side, 6-8 pm at Cool Bikes North, 1861 Northport Dr.
If you’re a Northsider who bikes, you know our bicycle infrastructure lags behind other parts of Madison. What changes do we want to see, and how do we make them happen? The public is invited to a free panel discussion and Q&A forum on Tuesday, from 6–8 pm, at Cool Bikes North. For those who cannot attend in person, we’ll be livestreaming the event. Write to info@coolbikesnorth.com to request a link.
More information, including panelists, can be found at the event page.
Wednesday
Board of Public Works will discuss the plans and specifications for the Regent St reconstruction. The meeting takes place virtually at 4:30 pm. You can view the agenda, submit comments, or register to speak here.
Thursday
Virtual Public Meeting on the AAA Bike Network Plan, at 6:00 pm
Madison is laying out its vision for an All Ages & Abilities Bikeways Network! This is an opportunity to comment on where you think connections need to be made, intersections improved, or other policies and infrastructure to allow people to access the entire city.
There will be more opportunities for public input, but this the first chance to view the draft plan and learn how to provide comments. Register for the meeting. On the project page you can learn more about the plan. For more on past plans and related documents, check out the Bicycle Network Plan page to see the timeline for the plan , Existing Conditions Summary, Imagine Madison Plan, Madison in Motion plan, MPO Bike Plan, and access the Complete Green Streets Guide.
Saturday
Escape the Badger
If you are a fan of gravel riding, head on up to the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area north of Prairie du Sac for the Escape the Badger ride. There are three route lengths for all abilities.
“Come join us for our 3rd Annual Escape the Badger Gravel Event! Fundraiser gravel ride with all proceeds going to Baraboo Area Mountain Bike Association to promote and develop trails and cycling in the Sauk County area.”
More information and registration can be found on the event page.
Celebrate Trails Day
Bike Fitchburg will have a station at the Velo Underround – the intersection of the Badger, SW Path, Cannonball, and Cap City Trail – from 10 am-1 pm as a local contribution to this national event. Come by for non-alcoholic beverages from Athletic Brewing as well as snacks, bike maps, and discussion of local efforts to improve biking.
Reminder: Submit your Bike Week event
Bike Week is May 30-June 7 this year. If you have an idea for an event, head on over to the Madison Bike Week 2026 page and submit your event. Host a fun ride, class, commuter station, movie, panel discussion, art project, book club, happy hour, general bike celebration, or any other event open to the public.
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!
