‘Ride’ Madison’s newest bike path
What’s that? You couldn’t make it to the ribbon-cutting celebration (hosted by Madison Bikes, Oakwood Prairie Ridge and Sun Prairie Moves) for the Tancho Bike Path? Then you may not necessarily know what’s so great about a short stretch of paved path on the far east side of Madison.
You’re in luck! This video tour, produced by Harald Kliems, is the next best thing to being there. And Harald will fill you in on the importance of this new Madison- Sun Prairie connection as you go.
Bike safe in the heat
The National Weather Service is forecasting pizza-oven temps with pea-soup humidity this week, featuring highs mostly over 90 and lows hardly ever below 70. When we think about bike safety, vehicle traffic feels like the most pressing concern. But bicycling is active transportation, and getting around under your own power is only more fraught when the weather is trying to melt you onto your saddle.
Take some tips from the League of American Cyclists. Highlights include:
- Hydrate! There were times when I wondered if my basic training drill sergeants knew any English phrases other than “DRINK WATER!” But, darn it if they weren’t onto something. You gotta replenish the fluids you feel soaking into your clothes or you will never make it to that ice cream reward.
- Plan ahead! Do you need to ride on Wednesday? It’s going to be 78° F — “F,” indeed! — at 8 a.m. That’s gross, but it sure beats the 91° forecast for 2 p.m. Pick the coolest times to pedal.
- Park in the shade, if you can. Those stylish black metal and leather parts of your ride will reach scorching temps if they sit in the sun for hours. Spare yourself a yelp and the extra heat by finding a spot out of the sun.
Keep on stoppin’
Regular readers may recall last week’s newsletter, when Craig Weinhold asked, “Is there a lawyer in the house?” Craig wanted help interpreting § 346.37(1)(c)2 — specifically, “No … bicyclist … facing [a red light] shall enter … the roadway unless he or she can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.” — to see if it counts as a “red-light-as-stop,” a version of what is also known as an “Idaho Stop.”
Several astute legal philosophers who saw Craig’s post pointed out that for a bicyclist to enter the roadway, they would first need to be not on the roadway. Which is to say, this law applies only to bikers on sidewalks or paths. It goes back to 1985 and was one of several law changes to give bicyclists on sidewalks the same rights as pedestrians. So, no, red lights are still red lights. If we want to treat them like stop signs, Craig says, we need to keep pushing for statewide Idaho Stop legislation.
Construction updates
- Virginia Terrace, a Regent Street tributary just south of Madison West High School, will experience a brief-but-major construction project starting July 6.
- Thomas Murphy notes that signs are up announcing the closure of UW–Madison’s Lot 39 for resurfacing. That’s near Linden Drive and the north end of the Campus Drive bike/pedestrian overpass, and may require some creative noodling for access.
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!
