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Bike News E-Mail Weekly Update

Spring Events Aplenty and Big TC/TIP Update

Snapshot from last week’s “Biking and the Law” Community Meeting (credit: Craig Weinhold)

This Week

Event signups for Bike Week 2024 are open. Once you have your event details firmed up, go ahead and fill out the form and we’ll get your event on the calendar when it’s released in May!

Bikes for Kids Wisconsin is ramping up for their spring bike giveaways on April 27, May 4 and May 11. They are specifically looking to staff 150 volunteer slots in addition to the expected need for donated bicycles.

The annual Bike-O-Rama event runs Friday through Sunday at the Alliant Energy Center.

Join us on March 8th, 9th, and 10th for Southern Wisconsin’s Largest Bicycle Sale. You can comparison shop, test ride, accessorize, and buy from all bicycle brands in one place!

Last Week

From Craig via the Madison Bikes Slack:

[…] highlight the TIP presentation [at the TC on February 28] that Engineer Chris Petykowski walked through. It’s essentially a rough plan to what the City is working on over the next five years excluding major state- and/or federally-funded projects like BRT and John Nolen Drive.
TIP documents and TIP presentation recording  (@1h 24m)

2025

  • West Beltline trail from High Point Rd to Zor Shrine
  • Rimrock Rd from John Nolen to MM
  • Pflaum Rd from HWY 51 to Monona Dr
  • Troy Drive RR underpass for bikes/peds
  • Rusk path connection to existing overpass beltline overpass

2026

  • Regent St from Monroe St to Park St  — we’ll need everyone’s help to steer this project into being bike-friendly.
  • High Point Rd connection from Midtown Rd to Raymond Rd (Marty Farms development)

2027

  • Gammon Rd Whitney Way & Odana Rd intersection
  • South Franklin Ave (the steep blind hill next to the cemetery)

2028

  • Interstate underpass to extend Capital City Trail to Cottage Grove
  • West Beltline trail from Zor Shrine to Gammon Rd
  • Moorland Rd west of the sewerage plant
  • Farley Ave, University Ave to Regent

Coming Up

Looking forward a bit, BCycle will be all-systems-go for the season starting on March 15. To help celebrate this, Madison Bikes has arranged a tour of the BCycle facility on March 21. Find out what goes into keeping the BCycle fleet running! Details are still forthcoming, but expect a relaxed group ride from Law Park leaving shortly after 4:30pm or meet directly at the Third Street facility at 5pm. There will be snacks.

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.

Categories
Weekly Update

Winter Storm Recovery, Social Events Aplenty

Low-hanging, snow-laden evergreen trees arch over the Southwest Path/Velo Underround
Low-hanging, snow-laden evergreen trees arch over the Southwest Path/Velo Underround (credit: Harald Kliems)

What a week for getting around outside it’s been! With weather and road conditions like this, you’d think it was International Winter Bike to Work Day but it’s not — that’s still coming up in February. This is good practice though, if you want it. However you choose to get around this week, please do it safely and with respect and care for people around you.

It’s easy to forget how much progress we’ve made with regards to winter cycling in Madison. Policies that were relatively recently put in place (within the last five years or so) ensure that the paths are cleared even on weekends, which is particularly noticeable given the timing of this latest snowfall. It would have been made even worse by the MLK holiday on Monday, potentially delaying path cleanup to Tuesday morning.

Small utility tractors work to clear a multi-use path
Small utility tractors work to clear a multi-use path (credit: Craig Weinhold)

This Week

On Wednesday, January 17 at 5 PM, the Transportation Commission will meet virtually. You can read the (relatively light) agenda here, which has a bit of bus-nerd stuff in it and some other tidbits.

On Thursday, January 18 at 7 PM, join an in-person discussion about the potential changes to Mineral Point Rd between Glenway and Midvale Blvd. The discussion will be hosted at the Midtown District Police Station, making it a border battle between districts 5 and 11. The proposed changes include safer pedestrian crossings, buffered bike lanes, reduced car travel lanes and removal of on-street parking (something already disallowed during rush hour in either direction). There was a virtual discussion about this last month and this is yet another opportunity to learn about the project.

On Friday, January 19 from 3-7 PM, drop by the first GearShift Gathering at the Bikes for Kids workshop on the south side. From the event description:

Stop by to meet your local bike organizations at this fun event! Local representatives will be available to talk with you about their work, talk about upcoming projects, and about their volunteer opportunities. Or just come and socialize with the bike community! We’ll also have door prizes?

On Saturday, January 20 from 9 AM to 1 PM, experience the legendary 2024 edition of the Brazen Dropouts Bike Swap. It’s always a fun time and a great way to connect with other cyclists in a warm setting during the coldest months of the year.

Abandoned Bikes PSA

There’s been a bit of discussion on our Facebook Community about what happens when the city collects abandoned bikes. First of all, you can report abandoned bikes to the city using this form and also to our aforementioned Facebook community and/or the Bike Index. According to Renee Callaway, City of Madison Pedestrian Bicycle Administrator:

Whenever [Madison Police Department] receives requests for bike donations they donate bikes and if they still have some after that that are in good/great shape they auction them off. The bikes that are heavily damaged or that are missing a lot of parts they do send off to city metals recycling.

Parting Gift

A short video biking along the Southwest Path after a snowfall (credit: Harald Kliems)

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.

Categories
Weekly Update

Bikes and the North/South BRT Focus Group

A person rides their bike on the Southwest Path. Everything is solidly covered in fresh snow and it is still actively snowing. No people other than the person on the bike are visible.
Snowy cycling from years past (Cyclists of Madison)

*mumbling to myself* Argh, I don’t know. Studs? Too soon? Yes, too soon. Don’t overreact. *deep breath* Just try to get past the next few days and we should be good again for a bit.

This week

On Monday at 6 PM, join an online session hosted by Madison Bikes (registration) where we’ll be on the receiving end of a presentation from city transit officials about how bikes and the BRT systems will complement each other. This one will focus on the North/South (“B”) route that’s in active planning mode. From Robbie’s event description:

Madison’s first bus rapid transit (BRT) route, going from Junction Road on the West side to East Towne Mall on the East side, is still under construction. But the city and Metro are already preparing for a second route, connecting the north and south side. If all goes well, the route could be in operation as early as 2028.

The project will involve a reconstruction of Park St, and potential changes to the setup of streets such as Fish Hatchery Rd, Packers Ave, and Sherman Ave. A lot of these changes will have an impact on people biking, and getting the route and the design right is important for improving our city’s all-ages-and-all-abilities bike network. Join our meeting for a presentation from Metro and an opportunity to ask questions and provide comment!

On Monday at 7 PM, Bike Fitchburg is hosting their monthly meeting at the Saris facility off of Verona Rd. In addition to the normal meeting agenda items, attendees will get a tour of the facility from Jeff Iverson, Saris Director of Engineering. Sounds fun! From Bike Fitchburg: “All who live, work, and/or bike in Fitchburg are welcome to join their voices with ours to make our city an easier, safer, more fun, and more equitable place to bike!”

On Wednesday at 5 PM the Transportation Commission meets virtually. You can watch online here and check out the full agenda. One item to note is that the city is applying for federal TAP funding (2024-2028) for the following bike path projects:

  1. Moorland Rd Shared Use Path – Capital City Trail to Wayland Dr: Improvements include new shared-use path and improved bus stop safety and accessibility.
  2. W Beltline Frontage Rd Shared Use Path – East of Seminole Hwy to Landmark Pl: Improvements include continuation of shared-use path to fill gap in pedestrian network and continue all ages and ability bike connection to neighborhood. Improved safety and accessibility of bus stops.
  3. Woodland Dr Path – Sheridan Dr to Marcy Rd: New shared-use path along Woodland Dr to connect to Sheridan Dr path, Warner Park path at Forster Dr and Marcy Dr.
  4. E Rusk Path Extension – N Rusk Ave to Rimrock Rd: New shared-use path that will connect to new paths planned for construction along N Rusk/W Badger and Rimrock Rd.

Last Week

On Tuesday the Board of Public Works met to produce their recommendation on the layout of the proposed multi-use path along the North side of Mineral Point Rd. One issue under discussion is where and how often the path would be narrowed to 5′ vs the 8′ baseline. Previously, recommendations had been produced from both city staff and the Transportation Commission with the city staff preferring more reductions to 5′ widths along the corridor and the TC preferring fewer reductions that require a few more tree removals (see slide).

Slide from Tom Lynch, Director of Transportation for the City of Madison

In this case, the Board of Public Works voted to recommend a middle ground between the staff and TC recommendations (leaning more towards the city staff recommendation). They suggest requiring 8′ at Clock Tower, but settle for 5′ at Kwik-Trip, Nautilus Park, and Isle of View Apts. Alders Slack, Conklin and Tishler all expressed opposition to the TC plan (and presumably support for the city staff plan).

The work now heads to the Common Council who will take the three different recommendations into account when deciding on the final layout.

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.

Categories
Newsletter Weekly Update

Back into the Routine, Safe Streets, Ride For Your Life

A cyclist loading (or unloading) their bike from a Madison Metro Bus rack (h/t Cyclists of Madison)

With the first week of school over, new routes learned and fresh routines formed, hopefully there is some peace and joy that can come from a quiet week of seasonal, beautiful cycling.

This Week

On Wednesday at 5:00 PM the Transportation Commission meets virtually (agenda). Of particular note will be a review of Safe Streets Madison detailing significant improvements to Baldwin Street, Eastmorland Neighborhood, and Midvale Boulevard. On our Facebook community group, there was a robust discussion about the Baldwin Street improvement and how they could be better. You can submit your input by email to transportationcommission@cityofmadison.com, or you can register for the meeting here.

A visual summary of the Safe Street changes proposed for Eastmorland Neighborhood (source: City of Madison)

Later on Wednesday at 6:00 PM “all bodies” are welcome to participate in the party-paced Madison Queer Bike Ride leaving from Law Park.

Finally, on Friday at 6:00 PM consider joining the Bi-weekly Bike Ride for Trans Rights, also leaving from Law Park.

The City of Madison just applied to have their Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community status renewed from the League of American Bicyclists. Platinum is the second highest level, and cities need to reapply every 5 years to maintain their status. As part of the process, the League is seeking your input to gain a better understanding of local bicyclists’ experiences in Madison. Please take a minute to complete this brief survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFC_local_Fall23

Save the date(s)

Logo for Ride For Your Life Madison.

A reminder that the Ride For Your Life Madison is coming up soon. If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so at https://rideforyourlife.org. Madison Bikes is co-organizing the event, and it would be great if we could get some additional volunteers to help.

Sarah Langenkamp was tragically killed by a truck while bicycling home from her sons’ elementary school in Bethesda, Maryland, on August 25, 2022. In the wake of her death, her family organized Ride For Your Life in Washington D.C. This event joined forces with activists across the country to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety on our streets.

This fall, Ride For Your Life is coming to Madison, WI! On Sunday, October 1, 2023, cyclists will ride 5-6 miles and pedestrians will walk 1 mile through Madison to the steps of the State Capitol for a rally to raise awareness of the need for pedestrian and cyclist safety.

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.

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Newsletter Weekly Update

West Area Plan, MPO and FB4K Slow Roll Celebration

Cyclists Crossing the (temporarily closed) Alicia Ashman Bridge (h/t Cyclists of Madison)

We’ll start with a big random, sloppy shout-out to the city’s Bike Madison mailing list subscription, which is essential reading for any cyclist in Madison. This shouldn’t be confused with our Madison Bikes update, which is the one you’re reading now! There’s often a bit of overlap, but we certainly don’t try to cover all of the minutia of road closures and path detours for the upcoming week like they do. Get on it!

This Week

Through next weekend, the Shorewood Hills path will be closed west of the new bridge over University Bay Drive. A detour on Marshall Ct will still take you to/from the bridge.

On Tuesday the Alicia Ashman bridge @ Campus Drive reopens ?. If you received last Friday’s update from Bike Madison, you’d already know that the bridge in the hero image above is closed for repairs until August 1. Of course, nearly every other route through campus is already suffering from some sort of detour right now, so good luck ?. Let’s hope it’s all cleared up in time for the return of the students.

On Wednesday from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM the city is hosting an in-person discussion and presentation of the West Area Plan at the Rennebohm park shelter. “Development, transportation, and parks and open space and other elements for the area will be included.” Oh, and food carts, probably, so it’s sort of a party! If the weather is trending poorly, they always reserve the right to not show, but the rest of the event happens rain or shine under the shelter.

West Area Plan Limits Map (h/t City of Madison)

Also on Wednesday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, the Greater Madison MPO is meeting at the Water Utility-Engineering building (119 E Olin Ave) with meeting notes that would make any European used to an August vacation season recoil. Some fascinating tidbits if you dig into it.

Browsing through the meeting packet, one item that caught my eye is #8 (p. 17). It describes a bunch of funding requests/project plans with DRAFT plastered all over them, up to 2024-2028 that are probably all relevant to cyclists. “Glacial Drumlin Path”, “Rimrock Rd”, “West Towne Path”, “Connect Mid Town Road and Raymond Road on New Alignment” are all words that you will read, and so many more!

Did you know that the “M” in MPO stands for Metropolitan? (fyi, the rest is Planning and Organization) This means it’s more than just Madison; there are items for Sun Prairie and the Villages of Deforest and Windsor too. People deep in the transpo weeds have been hearing/discussing these for some time, but it can be interesting to watch them as they work through the various committees at different levels of government. If your interest is piqued and you want to know more about the MPO “how’s” and “why’s”, check out item #10 (p. 32) which has a review of their operating rules and procedures.

Also on our calendar for Friday from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM @ Law Park is one of the twice bi-weekly Bike Ride for Trans Rights. While we don’t always highlight every event of the week, here’s a reminder that you can get a recurring event on our calendar, if you like. See the footer of this post for how to do that.

Finally, on Saturday at 2:00 PM, Free Bikes 4 Kidz is hosting “its first annual bike ride, the South Side Slow Roll“: a three mile SAG (Support And Gear, ya’ll) ride with pre- and after- parties. Free registration is required but it’s really just an online waiver and takes mere seconds to fill out. To sweeten the deal, all registrants will receive a voucher for food from one of four food cart vendors at the afterparty. It all starts at the FB4K workshop on Coyier Lane @ 2:00 PM with Wheels for Winners doing bike checks. The ride starts at 3:00 PM. I could go on, but really, just hit up their site for details. It’ll be a great event with great organizations and individuals involved to make it fun for everyone.

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.

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Bike News E-Mail Newsletter Weekly Update

New Bridge + Quiet Holiday Week

Bike Week

Jerry Schippa gives a bicycle infrastructure tour (credit: Craig Weinhold)

You’re probably sick of hearing about it and we’re definitely tired of talking about it (thus our radio-silence last week), but Bike Week is over and was a huge success! Thanks to our sponsors, event organizers, the city and most importantly everyone who attended events or otherwise participated in their own way.

Bacon Cheddar Waffles by Cargo Bikes (credit: Christo Alexander)

This Week

On Wednesday, the Transportation Commission meets virtually. You can read up on the light agenda here.

Last Week

Last week on Friday, University Bay Drive was closed to traffic overnight in order to install the new bike/ped bridge spans. Several community members were on site to capture some pictures and discussed it in the Facebook community. There’s a time-lapse video too that mostly demonstrates the resolve of the videographer and the inadequacies of modern phone batteries.

University Path Bridge being installed (credit: David Benforado)

A scouting ride today will surely show the spans in place, so go check it out yourself. Just a reminder that you won’t be able to make your way along the path and the circuitous detours remain in effect until the project completes this fall.

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.

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Bike News E-Mail Newsletter Weekly Update

Proposed TC Changes, West Side Advocacy Outreach, Bike Week Schedule

A person on a bike riding on the Kendall Bike Boulevard. The photo is focused on Magnolia blooms that partially obscure the person on the bike, who is out of focus.
A cyclist surrounded by springtime (h/t Cyclists of Madison)

This Week

On Wednesday at 5pm, the Transportation Commission (TC) meets virtually to discuss all things transportation. One of these things is a proposed amendment to modify how the makeup of the TC itself is determined. To re-summarize a summary (what could possibly go wrong…):

In its current form, most of the eleven TC membership spots have specific requirements: one must have knowledge of equity issues, another must have knowledge of people facing disabilities, another must have primary transport mode of walking, and the list goes on. Of particular relevance to cycling advocacy, one must have a primary transport mode of cycling. The change, proposed by Mayor Rhodes-Conway, would revise the ordinance to say that “[t]he mayor shall strive to appoint members who represent the following perspectives or experiences: people knowledgeable about equity issues and the needs of marginalized communities; people with disabilities; bicyclists; walkers; and transit users.”

There is no doubt it can be difficult to formulate a working commission with the current disparate list of requirements, but this challenge in governing mirrors the challenges a commission like this will face in balancing the needs of a diverse constituency. Unfortunately, this proposed change removes the teeth from the ordinance, changing a firm set of requirements to a broad suggestion that can be interpreted in ways that might leave groups under-represented, or potentially outright ignored.

If you’d like to comment on this item or register your support or opposition, you can do so here while choosing agenda item #4.

If you need to relax after all that, on Wednesday at 6pm the Madison Queer Bike Ride departs from Law Park for the monthly, party-paced meetup ride.

Yet Another Wednesday activity, this time in the form of an open house for Upcoming Plans in the West Area. Drop by the Lussier Community Education Center (the third wheel of the Memorial HS/Jefferson MS/LCEC education mega-campus) between 6:30pm to 8:00pm “to hear directly from City staff about proposed improvements aimed at serving the needs of residents in West Madison, between Midvale Boulevard and the Beltline.” Families welcome, and ooh-ooh, there will be snacks, there will! You can also browse a high-level project map at your leisure, from the comfort of your own home.

Last Week

In case you missed it, the Bike Week event list went live last week. We’re processing new events almost every day so keep checking back. Bike Week runs from June 3 to June 10 and of particular note, on Friday, June 9 from 4pm to 7pm we’ll have our big end of week party at Brittingham Park with free food, music, and probably some fun. Mark your calendars!

Last Wednesday, May 3, City Traffic Engineering held a Safe Streets public meeting focusing on Midvale Blvd between University Ave and Mineral Point Rd. If you missed it, you can see the presentation and feedback summary. [Author’s personal feedback: It’s a stretch that I ride often (usually downhill/NB from Sequoya Library to University Ave). It takes a modicum of vigilance and determination, requiring regular diversions into the main travel lanes while negotiating parked cars. Alternatives can be scenic and enjoyable but add some tiresome crossings, a few poorly maintained roads and/or significant time and distance increases.]

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.

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Bike News E-Mail Newsletter Weekly Update

Advocacy Aplenty

A cyclist rides and waves near the John Nolen Dr/North Shore Dr intersection (Cyclists of Madison)

Last Week

madisonforall produced an excellent video detailing and commenting on the city’s four proposed design alternatives for John Nolen Drive @ North Shore Dr. This one of the busiest bike/ped/car intersections in the city and there are several components of its current design that can make it rather treacherous for bicyclists and pedestrians. Spoiler: Several of the proposed alternatives are just as bad and there’s important work to be done!

Seairra Sheppard posted a thoughtful article to strongtowns.org discussing the state of the city’s Vision Zero initiative. If you’ve not been keeping up with all the ways Vision Zero is affecting development around the city, this is a great way to catch up. Also, Madison Bikes board member quoted in the article? Check!

This Week

On Monday, Bike Fitchburg is hosting their monthly meeting from 7pm-8:30pm at KL Engineering, not too far removed from Military Ridge Trail @ McKee Rd.

The city posted an update regarding planned bike boulevard improvements to W Main St and there’s good and bad news. The beacon and median island at Proudfit St/W Main St are on track for construction this summer but the remaining work will be delayed with no concrete ETA at the moment.

Bicycle Benefits organizers are looking for ambassadors who would be willing to “ride around the area to see if they have signage up, BB stickers stocked and employees [that are] in the know.” If this sounds like your jam then hit up ian@bicyclebenefits.org.

Next Week

Transportation Policy and Planning Board is meeting next Monday, April 3 @ 5pm. No specific agenda posted yet, but they will probably cover items from the last meeting that was cancelled.

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.

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E-Mail

Spring 2023 Elections: Candidate Questionnaire Responses

A blue "Vote" yard sign in front of Memorial Union. The sign has an arrow pointing to the right, where there are a large number of bikes parked

Spring 2023 is election timeThe Spring Primary is on February 21; Spring Election is on April 4. The results of those elections can have a great impact on biking, walking, transit, and housing. Madison Bikes, together with Madison is for People and Madison Area Bus Advocates, reached out to all candidates for mayor and common council to ask them about their positions on transportation, housing, and sustainability.

Thank you to the 21 (as of this posting) candidates that took the time to respond. You can read all of their responses here: https://www.madisonbikes.org/madison-spring-elections-2023/

Madison Bikes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and does not endorse or oppose any candidate.

Categories
Newsletter Weekly Update

Still Talking Snow; West Area Plan Meeting

A masked cyclist pedals a cruiser bike with gray tires down the southwest path. They are wearing mittens and a colorful hat with the poof on top.
A well-dressed winter cyclist on the southwest path (Photo: Cyclists of Madison)

It’s worth noting that our local Cyclists of Madison photo bot has a new home on Mastodon. There’s plenty of other bike and transit-focused discourse on the Fediverse as well, so check it out you’re looking for a broader place to discuss. As always, enjoy our community for a Madison-focused group!

This Week

On Monday at 6pm, join a virtual meeting discussing the West Area Plan.

A map that shows the area bounded roughly by the area west of Midvale Blvd, Shorewood Hills, to the northwest by Middleton and the beltline to the south and west.
The bounding area for the West Area Plan region (Image: City of Madison)

The in-person meeting was cancelled last week due to weather and will probably be rescheduled soon. In the meantime, you can make comments on the interactive map. It’s a good opportunity to highlight areas where you enjoy biking or where you wish there were better connections.

In case you missed it last week, the Bike Fed’s summer youth camp programs are open for registration. Also, plenty of good info on the site even if a youth camp isn’t your bag!

Last Week

On Friday morning, many hearty cyclists came out and stopped by our bike station despite the attempted knockout blow delivered by the big, wet Thursday snowstorm. It was somewhat treacherous conditions for all road, path and sidewalk users due to the late-night freeze following a day of sloppy conditions.

An smiling individual with long hair, wearing a high-vis coat and a high-vis hat, celebrates their free Madison Bikes blue face buff with the sun rising on the frozen lake behind them. A sign reads "no motorized vehicles past this point".
Who doesn’t love SWAG? (Photo: Harald Kliems)

With warmer temperatures than we’ve had in the past, it was good to see faces (both old and new) and sunshine. Thanks to everyone who stopped by, along with our sponsors and partners for the coffee and good times.

A group of five individuals wearing winter clothes are gathered around a table with merchandise. One of the people is writing on a piece of paper. Another is holding their bike. There is a black and white Madison Bikes banner flying in the breeze and a red sign pointing to public stairs and the bike elevator.
The path conditions look pretty good, all things considered! (Photo: Harald Kliems)

Finally, Groundhog’s Day was two week ago, but we still seem to be in this time loop where we get the same big storms on Thursdays. Until then, we’ll see great melting conditions that should leave paths and sideroads pretty rideable (sorry skiers). Watch out for refreezing, but otherwise enjoy!

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.