The city is preparing for the next phase of the John Nolen Drive reconstruction, between Olin Ave and Lakeside St. One question is how many lanes the roadway should have between the end of the causeway (where there are four lanes) and Olin Ave (six lanes). At a previous meeting of the Transportation Commission, members of the public and commissioners suggested keeping two lanes. This would make for a more compact and safer intersection at Lakeside. Previously, staff said that this option would not be acceptable to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). But it now seems that a two-lane option is considered feasible. At Wednesday’s Transportation Commission meeting the commission will be asked to weigh in on the trade-offs: Fewer lanes may mean longer delays for drivers during peak hour. But it would allow for shorter crossings at Lakeside and more space for wider sidewalks/multi-use paths.
Winter Bike Fashion Show: Still looking for models
It still doesn’t feel like winter. But the Winter Bike Fashion Show is approaching quickly. November 15, 1-3 pm at the Goodman Community Center. We’re still looking for more “models.” Do you ride in the cold season? Want to help others learn about riding in the winter? Modeling is easy: You just come dressed in your favorite winter outfit, get on stage (possibly with your bike), and chat with our MCs about your approach to winter riding and answer questions from the audience. We love to showcase the diversity in both approaches to winter riding and the demographics of winter riders. So we’re especially looking for young riders (or passengers), people of color, and women. Sign up form.
Witnesses sought: Hit-and-run in Warner Park
According to a Reddit post, there was a crash involving someone walking and someone on an e-bike in Warner Park yesterday (Sunday Oct 25) afternoon. The person on the bike took off as the person walking was receiving medical attention.
North Area Plan
North Area Plan map
We’ve mentioned it before but the public input phase for the North Area Plan is still in full swing. Have you checked out the online comment map yet? You can highlight areas that need improvements or upvote other people’s suggestions.
Cap City Cyclists Halloween Ride
Tonight’s (Monday Oct 26) Cap City Cyclists ride will be a Halloween-themed loop around Lake Monona. 6 pm at Orton Park.
“I sometimes think that the other months were constituted mainly as a fitting interlude between Octobers…”
Aldo Leopold
Aldo was referring to grouse hunting, but October is pretty sweet for bicycling too. Get out there and enjoy the show!
John Nolen Drive Update
The Broom Street crossing of John Nolen Dr was greatly improved last week with the removal of the pedestrian surface mats and the return of bikes/peds to new roadway surface. WisDOT’s JND project manager Dan Bauknecht wrote “I believe we are past the final hurdle from a ped/bike standpoint. The project only becomes more accessible, more expansive, and on newer pavement structure from this point forward. The next route switch (late Oct/early Nov) will give users a glimpse of what to expect along the whole causeway.“
This is great news, but temper your expectations. When the John Nolen Drive construction project concludes in spring 2027, the LakeWay construction project will begin with shoreline improvements, paths, boardwalks, landscaping, public art, and more. That project will prevent full use of the new causeway bike and walking paths until June 2028. During that time bikes and peds will be detoured onto the new JND road surface across the causeway. i.e., it’ll be a bit like a year of non-stop “Ride the Drive.”
Thanks to Craig Weinhold for content.
Current Broom St bike-ped crossing of JND (Photo: Craig Weinhold)
Near West Side Plan
Area plans shape bicycle infrastructure for decades. If you would like to see changes in the Near West Area, this is the time be heard. Virtual sessions November 4 and 9 and an in-person open house on November 5 will offer opportunities to comment. Additionally, you can enter your suggestions and comments on an interactive Ideas Map. Many individuals already have. Visit the information page for the Near West Area Plan to register for a virtual meeting or explore the map gallery.
Madison Bikes’ Near West infrastructure ride (Photo: Christo Alexander)
Tuesday Rally for State Trails and Knowles Nelson
Sarah Widder’s Great State Trails Adventure makes its way to the State Capitol! She’s been riding across the state all month raising awareness of the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program, the expired funding program responsible for so many great things (bike trails among them).
Join Sarah, Team Knowles Nelson and other champions for the Rally and Ride at the Capitol on Tuesday, October 20th at 11am in Madison. Meet on the Capitol steps for a Team Knowles Nelson photo with one of our legislative champions.
Sun Prairie Adopts New Rules for E-Bikes and Scooters
The City of Sun Prairie recently updated its ordinance regulating e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-motos. While e-bikes and e-scooters keep the same classifications of e-bikes and scooters as the State of Wisconsin, the city defined e-motos as any type of device with an electric motor greater than 750 Watts, capable of speeds greater than 20 mph without pedal assist or otherwise operates beyond the definition of a Class 1, 2, or 3 electric bicycle (e -bike) or e -scooter.
The recommendation on e-motos is consistent with information from the Greater Madison MPO except the Sun Prairie ordinance uses a speed limit of 20mph on motor power alone (compared to MPO guidance of over 28 mph while pedaling). Setting a 20 mph limit on motor alone provides clear enforcement criteria for police making it straightforward to identify vehicles which are not street-legal.
The new rules clarify where e-bikes and e-scooters can legally operate in Sun Prairie , which will aid law enforcement when issuing citations to violators.
Other changes include:
Expanding pedestrian and bicycle regulations ensuring bicycles and scooters have the same rights and must follow rules of the road.
Strengthens language about following the rules of the road such as adhering to traffic control devices and yielding to pedestrians.
Strengthens language about companies who offer scooter or bike sharing.
Adds helmet mandates for all riders under age 18 using bicycles or electric devices. It was not possible to require helmets for e-bike riders only.
To support families buying or riding these devices, the city of Sun Prairie is developing educational materials for parents and young riders to address the confusion around e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-motos. This information will be incorporated into Sun Prairie Area School District bike curricula.
To access the Common Council meeting agenda, click here. To access information presented at the Sun Prairie Common Council on October 6 click on information with #8. This is the same as the new ordinance except for the helmet requirement.
For more information on the use of E-devices for our area greater Madison Area, here is a link to the MPO guidance.
Don’t Forget the Winter Bike Fashion Show
November 15 from 1-4pm. Don’t miss it.
We’re still looking for a few models. You don’t need modeling experience and you can be a “shoulder season” model if you wish. The application deadline is Monday, October 26th. Here’s the application form: WBFS model application form.
Keep Your Bike Safe
The basics:
Location, location, location. Park your bike in a well-lit area with lots of foot traffic. Bike thieves can steal a bike anywhere, but they prefer privacy and time to work. If an area is monitored by cameras that’s also a plus.
Lock your bike to something sturdy, like a bike rack or a lamp post. Not a tree because it can damage the tree and it’s illegal. If there isn’t anything suitable around, take the opportunity to advocate for a rack where you are doing business. In some cases, installation won’t cost the business anything. See this Madison Bikes link (select bike parking) for details. If appropriate, consider taking the bike inside if there isn’t a place to lock it outside.
Invest in a good lock. Spending more usually buys a better lock. If you have a $3,000 e-bike, maybe a $200 lock isn’t such a bad investment.
Use good locking technique. Two locks are better than one. For example, combining a U-lock with a chain lock will allow you to lock another wheel and increase the chances the thief will move on to another, more vulnerable bike. Lock at least the frame and ideally the back wheel. An exception might be some e-bikes for which it might be difficult to remove the rear wheel even when it’s not locked.
Types of locks:
U-locks vary in quality but are considered by many to be the most secure type of lock. High-end models are resistant to angle-grinders but other less expensive ones can be cut with a hacksaw. These locks are rigid so may not fit on e-bikes with thick down tubes or other bike parts.
The best chain locks can be quite good and are resistant to bolt cutters. However, lower quality products can still be cut with other tools such as hacksaws. These locks are heavy.
Folding locks offer decent security but quality matters. They are more flexible and lighter than U-locks and storage is compact.
Cable locks offer a very low level of protection and are easily and quickly defeated. They are light and easy to wrap around bicycle parts or bike racks. These locks may be suitable for low risk situations.
Café or frame locks prevent the bike from being ridden but not from being carried away. They may be helpful for very short stops where you can watch the bike or in combination with other locks.
Examples of a chain lock, U-lock, folding lock and cable lock (REI.com)
Other tips:
If you have an e-bike with a removable battery, take it with you if you can. It’s often the most expensive part of the bike.
Take everything with you that’s not permanently attached to the bike. Bike computers, consoles, water bottles, and lights can be grabbed in a few seconds. Quick release wheels and seatposts are easily and quickly removed. Replacing the quick release mechanism with a bolt, if feasible, could buy you a few more seconds or deter more casual thieves.
To increase the chance of recovering your stolen bike, consider registering it with a national registration database such Project 529 or the Bike Index. The city of Madison has a help page.
Consider concealing an AirTag or equivalent tracker in the frame, handlebars, or other hiding place. This won’t stop theft but may allow you to recover the bike.
For more information, consider checking these sources:
This excellent article by Chuck Strawser from UW provides detailed information on locking technique and other issues.
Consumer reports rates locks based on resistance to various tools. Only members can see details. All top rated locks were U-locks The best buy of the top five was the Kryptonite New York at $135. The others ranged from $260-$430.
Two More Taco Rides
The last two Motorless Motion/Bandit Taco Rides of the year will take place on October 21 and October 28. Rides are about 10 miles starting at Motorless Motion at 6PM and ending at Bandit Tacos. See the Madison Bikes Calendar.
Trek Trick or Treat Ride
Join the gang at Trek East for a “howling good time” at 6:00 PM on Thursday October 29. Thrilling tricks, and tasty treats after the casual ride. More information here.
Bring helmets (required), lights and hydration
Looks like a spectacular week weatherwise. Hard to believe the Winter Bike Fashion Show is less than 4 weeks away. Enjoy the fall riding.
Upper portion of the Stewart Tunnel reconstruction | WI DNR and Monticello Area Historical Society-Wisconsin on Facebook.
Welcome to this week’s newsletter. October is National Pedestrian Safety Month. You might see news or posts about this telling you to be safe by being predictable, being visible, or only crossing in crosswalks. I’m not here to give any safety tips. Instead, I’ll let @ilajue on tumblr do that in their artwork titled “6 Tips for Crossing the Road”:
These tips are obviously tongue-in-cheek, because people often place the burden of safety on pedestrians. Shouldn’t the burden be on the person operating the massive deadly machinery capable of going really fast? This is not to say that pedestrians should not be careful. It is to say that even when walking carefully and lawfully, you can still be injured or killed, because bright clothing and looking both ways will not stop a distracted, speeding, or impaired driver from hitting you in a crosswalk.
Instead of giving safety tips, I can encourage you to reach out to your representatives about supporting legislation that can make a difference, like AB 655/SB 659 (Sasha’s Bill) to curb extreme speeding and reckless driving. Show up to public meetings about street redesign or reconstruction and advocate for safe crossings and designing for lower speeds. Finally, you can also contact your local government to report issues or request improvements to dangerous roads or intersections by emailing your alder or using the City’s report a problem.
Stewart Tunnel Update
Stewart Tunnel entrance with “bat attic” opening to preserve habitat | WI DNR and Monticello Area Historical Society-Wisconsin on Facebook.
In case you hadn’t heard, the Wisconsin DNR shared progress photos and an update about the Stewart Tunnel on the Badger State Trail. The tunnel, which has been closed since 2019 due to structural issues like falling rocks, is set to open back up in Spring 2027 after being reconstructed to allow trail users to pass through safely while keeping the endangered bat habitat intact. This balancing act is accomplished with a split design: corrugated metal for the new inner tunnel with the larger original tunnel preserved and updated as an “attic” for bats to hibernate (and do whatever else bats do in caves). While the official opening is expected next year, there is a possibility of a “soft opening” sometime in the Fall. We’ll be sure to let you know if that happens.
Winter Bike Fashion Show
Winter cargo biking on a snowy path
If you want to learn more about biking through the winter, share your own winter riding tips with others, or just hang out with some cool winter biking people, join Madison Bikes at the Winter Bike Fashion Show on November 15th, from 1-4pm at the Goodman Center!
As part of the runway fun, we are looking for volunteer models. As a model, you’ll come dressed in your own gear, walk the catwalk, and share some of your personal tips for winter riding to encourage others to ride more this season. You don’t have to be a year-round cyclist to apply and no modeling experience is required. Are you a summer cyclist who’s found a good way to extend your commute into the late fall with a few extra layers? Do you have a teenager who manages to get around town by bike with very little specialized gear? Are you a parent who has figured out how to keep your kids warm for weekend adventures on the bike path? We want to showcase winter biking and winter bikers in all their many forms!
Year round bikers to show off their biking clothes and bike gear
Shoulder season (late fall or early spring) riders to show off their biking clothes and bike gear
Adults and kids (both kids who ride their own bikes, and kids who are transported by bike)
Gear for winter biking and demo bikes- how do you adapt your bike for winter riding? We love DIY solutions that make it easy and inexpensive to giving winter biking a try!
We strongly encourage people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ winter riders to apply!
Near West Area Plan Ride
The City’s Near West Area Plan is collecting input (Ideas Map) this month in preparation for the first public meetings next month. If you bike or walk on the near west side, now is the time to speak up with your ideas, wishes, concerns, etc.
To help, Madison Bikes’ Craig Weinhold will be leading an infrastructure tour on Saturday Oct 17 at 9:15am from Sequoya Library. This ride is open to all, but the focus will be on policymakers and those deeply interested in transportation aspects of the Near West Area Plan
Ride For Your Life participants pedal through Madison on Oct. 4. Photo courtesy Craig Weinhold.
Ride For Your Life
More than 700 people turned out Sunday for the Ride For Your Life rally in Madison, an annual ride to remember people lost to traffic violence and advocate for safety improvements that can prevent future deaths. Madison’s ride was held in honor of Sasha Rosen, killed by a driver on South Park Street in February.
Ride For Your Life participants gather at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Oct. 4 to remember lives lost to traffic violence and advocate for safer infrastructure for people who aren’t traveling by car. Photo courtesy Craig Weinhold.
Ride For Your Life organizers asked participants to take action in two ways:
Send a postcard to your legislator to support Sasha’s Bill to curb extreme speeding and reckless driving (AB 655/SB 659).
Submit the League of American Bicyclists Action Alert urging members of Congress to vote against any federal measures to defund bike lanes.
There’s nothing keeping anyone with hopes for safer streets from taking those actions, whether they made it to the ride on Sunday or not. Find more information on the Ride For Your Life website.
Plan your neighborhood
Kick-off meetings for the North Area Plan and Near West Area Plan begin in November. Area plans are intended to describe a vision for specific parts of Madison, and help guide private development and public infrastructure improvements — like those that make it easier and safer for bikers to move around their own streets.
The Barrymore Theatre fills with Bicycle Film Festival fans on Oct. 1. Photo courtesy Harald Kliems.
Another year of enjoying bicycling, another year of enjoying films about bicycling at the Barrymore Theatre. The gang got together on Oct. 1 (starting with pre-films fun at Starkweather Brewing Company) for the annual event.
Did you miss it? Add a note to your 2027 fall calendar. Were you there, and want something to remember it by? A limited number of Bicycle Film Festival posters are available. If you want one, email harald@madisonbikes.org. Posters will be available for pickup on the near west side. Donations to Madison Bikes are appreciated.
Get out from behind the wheel
Are you celebrating a Week Without Driving? We’ve got one more reason to ride instead. From 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7, Madison Bikes and Middleton will host a stop for commuters at 6192 Old Middleton Road, where Asbury Bike Path meets the street. Join us for coffee and treats from Willy Street Co-op West.
The Krause Family Band will also perform from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8., as part of the Week’s festivities. Walk, roll, bike or bus to Stone Horse Green, 7550 Hubbard Ave. in Middleton, to enjoy the show.
