Person, B-Cycle bike, path, Bike Week sign (h/t Harald Kliems and Cyclists of Madison)
It’s hard to believe we’re running up against Memorial Day 2025, and then Madison Bike Week follows immediately afterwards. We’ve already scheduled almost 60 (yes, six-zero) events at over 40 (yes, four-zero) locations, with more coming in every day. There’s no hard cutoff on event submission, however if you’d like to be blessed/hyped on the socials, you’d be wise to get yours in by this Friday, May 23.
In particular, let’s highlight that on Friday, June 6 @ Brittingham Park, we’re hosting our end-of-week party with all sorts of FREE fun, food, and drinks. This event requires a lot of people-power so if you’re up for taking a volunteer slot, please fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!
This Week
On Monday at 7pm, join Bike Fitchburg for their monthly meeting a the Fitchburg Senior Center. Shout out to Bike Fitchburg for hosting a bunch of exciting Bike Week events too!
On Tuesday from 9-10am, Global Health Institute at the UW is hosting a free webinar facilitating “the discussion on healthy cities & climate change.” There are some big names on the panel, including Carlos Moreno, the author of “The 15-Minute City.”
On Wednesday from 5:30-7pm, the City of Madison is hosting a “casual” walk & talk through the Hiestand Neighborhood to discuss the Southeast Area Plan. It starts at the Hiestand Park Picnic Shelter and the rain date is May 29, which could be an important detail, given the forecast.
On Wednesday at 5:30pm, join the first in the full-summer series of e-bike group rides from the Capital Brewery Bike Club, leaving from, you guessed it, Capital Brewery in Middleton. There are actually a bunch of different rides for bike riders of every level on different days so check their site out if you like. The brewery is also hosting some fun Bike Week stuff and donating beer for the end of week party. Shout out!
With the end of the UW semester, the downtown/campus area is going to be much quieter. This past weekend was a bit crazy, with both graduation and Mother’s Day filling the city with people from out of town and lots of happy families.
We are definitely getting into peak biking season, and the paths have been pretty crowded. Please be courteous on our lovely shared use paths and be patient with those going at a slower pace. There are lots of less-experienced bicyclists, walkers and other non-wheeled people. We also get lots of out-of-towners, who may be moving more slowly or in less predictable ways. Let’s make them feel welcome, safe, and happy. More people on bikes is good for everyone.
If you are in a hurry or want to go at top speed, the paths through the Isthmus or campus, along Lake Monona, or SW from Camp Randall may not be the best place to ride. Streets allow faster speeds, and you’re less likely to scare a family walking or a visitor checking out the scenery.
Madison Bike Week events calendar is live!
The calendar of events for Bike Week, June 1-8, is live! A reminder that you can already submit any events your organization, business, club, or neighborhood may have planned. Just fill out the submission form on the Madison Bike Week page.
2025 Madison-area construction map
Spring also brings road construction, and that can mean bad biking or detours. Madison does a pretty good job with keeping routes open, but not all parts of the county are as diligent.
Madison Bikes board member Craig Weinhold has created a Google community map with ongoing construction projects, detours, and closed path segments throughout the greater Madison area, but we need your help with keep it up to date. The map covers more than the city of Madison, so if you are out on a ride and notice a closed road, unannounced construction, or even trees down or chip sealing, please add it to the map.
Craig says, “So far I’ve added construction announcements from State, Dane County, Madison, UW, DeForest, Windsor, Verona, Monona, Waunakee, Marshall, and Stoughton. If others can help canvas other areas, that’d be great. Look for a road construction page. The towns are the least organized; they often have no announcement of their chip-seal plans.”
Madison Area MPO wants your opinion on walking and biking
The Metropolitan Planning Organization has a survey out about how you feel walking and biking. It covers the whole MPO area, which includes most of the suburbs of Dane County. Please take a moment to weigh in, especially if you live/work/visit area outside of Madison. There is also an interactive map to highlight areas of concern or needing improvements. The results of the survey will be shared with surrounding communities.
New alder talks bicycling
New Alder Davy Mayer shared a blog post this past week titled, “I Love Bikes and Especially Bike Infrastructure,” including how he helped solve a bicycle-parking problem for a bar in his district by getting a couple of racks installed by the city.
Volunteer opportunity for Run Madison
Run Madtown is an endurance event coming up on May 24th (5K) and May 25th (10K & half-marathon) in Madison. It is also a fundraiser for various non-profits in the city. They are looking for bike marshals to take the lead on the course on Saturday, May 24th, 6:45-8:30 pm, and Sunday, May 25th, 6:30-11:00 am. If you are interested in volunteering, let them know that Madison Bikes sent you when you fill out the volunteer form.
The week ahead
It’s a pretty quiet week for meetings. The Transportation Commission is meeting, but there really is nothing to note on the agenda. (As a member of that committee, I’m happy for small miracles after a couple of long ones.)
Tuesday and Thursday
There will be two in-person meetings about the North-South BRT line plans. These two meetings focus on South Park St and Fitchburg, but you can provide input on the entire route, if you missed previous meetings. Since the BRT will affect bicycle facilities in the area — both positively and negatively — bicyclists may want to weigh in on these plans.
Tuesday, May 13, 4:30 – 6:30 pm, Madison Labor Temple, 1602 Park St. Rm 201B Thursday, May 15, 4:30 – 6:30 pm, Fitchburg City Hall, 5520 Lacy Rd, Council Chambers
Wednesday
Madison Queer Bike Ride meets for its monthly ride in Law Park near Machinery Row at 6:00 pm. All bodies are welcome, and the ride will be at a party pace. Follow them on Instagram for more details.
Friday
Friday, May 16 is National Bike to Work Day. Here in Wisconsin, we don’t follow the national calendar for a couple of reasons – it’s often still chilly in Wisconsin in May, so we prefer to celebrate bicycling in early June, and we want a whole week to celebrate all types of bicycling – but there are a couple of events this Friday to celebrate the national day.
Coffee and donuts at 8-10 am at Machinery Row commuter station
Machinery Row, Madison Bikes, and the City of Madison are hosting this event on the Capital City bike path at the corner of John Nolen Dr. and Williamson St. Stop over on your morning bike commute for a quick bite!
Ride with the Fitchburg Mayor
Celebrate Bike to Work Day with the City of Fitchburg with a bike ride to work with the Mayor! The event will start with assembly at 7:00 a.m. at the McKee Farms Park BCycle station (near the main shelter), and will include a 1-mile ride to City Hall at 7:15 a.m. and brief remarks, including award presentations to Fitchburg’s newest Bicycle Friendly Businesses, at City Hall about 7:30 a.m.
Sunday
Freewheel volunteer/board meeting will happen at 11:00am – 12:00pm at Neighborhood House Community Center, 29 S Mills St. Join in person or on Zoom to get involved with Freewheel planning. New volunteers warmly welcomed!
Then at noon, join Freewheel for Open Shop @ Neighborhood House. Bring your bike or work on donated bikes at Freewheel’s Open Shop. Experienced instructors are here to help. All skill levels welcome from beginner to pro. Everyone’s a learner, everyone’s a teacher.
Metro buses with Madison Bike Week ads are out and about!
Let’s start with Madison Bike Week: We’re less than one month out. You may have seen a Bike Week ad on a Metro bus, or maybe you spotted one of our posters at a local business.
Event submission have been rolling in at a steady pace, and if I’m counting right, we’re at 21 events already. What are they? Well, you need to be a little patient still. We’ll reveal the initial schedule next Monday! In the meantime: Consider whether you want to organize an event yourself, or talk a friend, your employer, club, or anyone else into it. It’s free, it’s fun, and it builds community. Check our our FAQ or go straight to the registration form. Oh, and remember that we also offer small grants to Madison Bike Week event organizers!
Bikes for Kids sale
Our friends at Bikes for Kids Wisconsin are holding their Everything Bikes Annual Sale at their location on Coyier Lane on Saturday:
It’s the largest used bike sale in the city! Head to Bikes for Kids Wisconsin on Saturday, May 10th, 2025 between 10am and 2pm to view hundreds of bikes at the lowest prices around.
We’ll have something for everyone! Accessories include bike trailers, tagalongs, car racks, bike trainers, a wide array of parts, bags, mirrors, clothes, baskets, and more. We’ll also have vintage bikes, high-end road bikes, e-bikes new and used, folding bikes, and tandems for sale. Prices will be marked and some items will be make an offer. Cash and Card Sales supported.
All purchases support our mission of making bicycle transportation accessible for all!
Climate grant for Vel Phillips Memorial High School Bike Club
The City of Madison announced its latest Youth Action Climate Fund awards recently. Among the 17 funded project is a $5000 grant for the Memorial High School Bike Club.
The grant […] will help to fund essential tools, bike racks and storage equipment, while also supporting an upcoming field trip to Trek Bicycle’s global headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin. […]
“This grant really helps us make biking more accessible for students,” said Grace Riedle-Joranlien, Memorial art teacher and Bike Club advisor. “We want to create a culture where students feel empowered to ride to school and take care of their own bikes—where a flat tire or a broken chain isn’t a barrier.”
The club’s origin story is rooted in community partnerships and a strong student interest in biking. The Wisconsin Bike Fed, a nonprofit focused on increasing bike ridership across the state, approached the school last spring to gauge interest in launching a student-led club focused on bike mechanics, commuting and sustainability. Thanks in large part to the organization’s support, the club now meets weekly during lunch, offering students the chance to repair and refurbish unused bikes for school and community use.
Congrats to the students! Read the full news release here.
Construction starting on North Shore Drive Path
First signs of construction starting
This week marks the launch of construction of the first segment of a new multi-use path along the south north side of North Shore Drive. This will create a new connection from the SW Commuter Path to S Bedford St. And in a future phase, to done together with the John Nolen Drive reconstruction, the path will connect all the way to John Nolen Drive and to Bassett Street.
On the east side, two other bicycle improvement projects will start construction as well. See all the details here.
Alicia Bosscher addresses the crowd at Machinery Row. Photo by Lauren Barlow
So much going on right now. This update only scratches the surface, but here goes
Bike Week 2025: June 1-8
In case you missed the e-mail this week, here is the link to the 2025 Madison Bikes Bike Week website. Time flies and Bike Week is only a month away so if you’re planning to host an event, fill out the registration form on the site to get the word out.
Sarah’s Bill
On Wednesday, April 23, Madison Bikes partnered with WI Bike Fed & Machinery Row to host an event about bike advocacy at the federal level. Madison Bikes board member Alicia Bosscher and her father Dirk Debbink gave a first-hand account of pushing for change following the death of Sarah Debbink Langenkamp to traffic violence, the inception of the bill named after her, and its bipartisan progress through Congress.
This is exceptional work, and it was fascinating to hear how it’s actually possible to build bipartisan consensus in this day and age.
Even if you missed the talk, there are ways to get involved, first and foremost by asking your members of Congress to support the bill with this handy online action alert. Please share the link widely! By popular request, here’s the cookie recipe link for the cookies Alicia baked for the meeting.
Southwest Comment Map Closing
The interactive commenting map associated with the Southwest area plan will be closing at the end of April. It’s an easy way to enter your thoughts on specific routes or intersections. Enter your comments ASAP and make your voice heard!
Reserve Ride the Drive Events
Ride the Drive is now accepting reservations for vendors or exhibitors. This year, available sites will be at three hubs, Olin Park, Law Park, and McPike Park. This year, you can also reserve a spot on the roadway to better interact with participants. More information at the Ride the Drive website.
Participants of all ages and abilities participate in Ride the Drive (Madison Parks)
Tour of New Infrastructure at Bike Advocacy Meetup
On May 4th, at 5 p.m., Madison Bikes and Machinery Row will host another Bike Advocacy Meetup. This month’s event will explore and celebrate some recently completed infrastructure. We’ll embark on a 12-mile group ride from Machinery Row to the Sycamore Park Singletrack via the Autumn Ridge Path. The Autumn Ridge overpass provides a much-improved connection between the neighborhoods on either side of Highway 30. The Sycamore Park Singletrack has over a mile of beginner and advanced mountain bike trails. All bikes are welcome on this casual ride. Gravel and mountain bikes will be best equipped for the additional trails at Sycamore Park. We hope you can join us!
Safe Streets Madison Projects Updated
The Transportation Commission approved several new projects at the April 16th meeting. Among the projects approved were speed limit reductions, installation of RRFBs, a contraflow lane on W. Gilman, green bike markings for the bike lane on University from Babcock to Basset, and a Broom St. parking protected lane. The Safe Streets Madison website contains a project spreadsheet that provides a list of all potential projects that can be sorted by status and other fields.
Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan Open House
This event is an opportunity to discuss the draft plan with staff and provide input if you wish. The meeting will be held at the Lussier Family Heritage Center on Wednesday, April 30 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The plan includes bicycle trails and access to parks via bicycle trails. One trail related item is the Great Sauk-Walking Iron Trail – Rail/Trail Conversion that will run from the new Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge at Sauk City to Mazomanie and eventually, Middleton. Surfacing of the trail is an issue, with snowmobilers preferring gravel and bikers preferring asphalt. See this companion action alert for more detail.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway cuts the ceremonial ribbon at the Highway 30 bridge opening | Harald Kliems
Welcome to the Madison Bikes newsletter. We have a lot of events coming up, so read on to learn about them!
Advocacy Event @ Machinery Row
This Wednesday from 7-8:30pm at Machinery Row, Madison Bikes is partnering with WI Bike Fed to host Driving Federal Bike Safety Legislation, an event where you can learn how to be more involved in bike advocacy by making your voice heard. If you want to get more involved in bike advocacy but don’t know where to start, this is the event for you. Hear a first-hand account of pushing for change in the wake of tragedy. Madison Bikes board member Alicia Bosscher and her father Dirk Debbink will share the story of the loss of Sarah Debbink Langenkamp to traffic violence, the inception of the bill named her, and it’s progress through congress.
While Madison is already a great place to ride a bike, we still have a long way to go to make transportation outside of a personal vehicle safe and comfortable for everyone. Especially now with the current federal political climate, it’s more important than ever to let our representatives know we won’t back down and accept road and street infrastructure that is not safe for all users, and that they should support funding for alternative transportation options like biking.
Transportation Commission: Safe Streets
On the topic of safe street infrastructure, Transportation Commission is meeting on Wednesday, and the agenda includes discussing a number of new safe streets projects. The Safe Streets Madison program aims to improve the safety and accessibility for all users, including those who walk, bike, drive, and take transit. The program uses data from a High Injury Network that records incidents like crashes around the city to prioritize and plan future projects, including the ones on the agenda for approval this week. You can watch the meeting online on Wednesday at 5pm or find info about submitting feedback here.
Mini-Documentary Screening @ UW Arboretum
If you are interested in art, film, and traveling by bike, we have an exciting event planned for you! On Sunday, April 27th, Madison Bikes and UW European Studies are hosting an event featuring Julia Bourdet, a graphic novelist who traveled across the US by bike and train, while journaling and sketching her voyage. She is making the compiled material into a graphic novel, as well as a mini documentary, which we will be showing at the UW Arboretum at 11am. The event will be held in the Arboretum visitor center. Julia will be joining us virtually from France to discuss her documentary and work. You won’t want to miss this exciting and moving story about human-powered travel, adventure, and climate awareness!
RITUAL MTB Film Tour
On Wednesday night, go to Union South for the RITUAL Mountain Bike Film Tour:
Shimano presents RITUAL Mountain Bike Film Tour powered by Outside is a nationwide celebration of unforgettable film-going experiences like only the big screen can provide. The film tour highlights incredible athletes, creative filmmakers, engaging storylines and stunning cinematography; bringing riders together in 23 of mountain biking’s greatest cities and venues across the country. Doors 6pm, Show 7pm Local Time, tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.
Join us for Celebrate Trails Day! 2025 with a pit stop at the Velo UnderRound! Your host is Bike Fitchburg. Enjoy non-alcoholic drinks from national sponsor Athletic Brewing and snacks, pick up bike maps, and learn how we advocate for biking and walking that’s safer, easier, more fun, and more equitable in Fitchburg! The Velo UnderRound is a two-level interchange among five regional trails, serving Fitchburg, Madison, Verona, and locations throughout Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Water, rest rooms, air pump, and repair stand with tools are nearby at Fitchburg’s Dawley Bike Hub. Epic mountain biking is adjacent at the Dane County Seminole Mountain Bike Park, just south on the Military Ridge Path at Saris Trails, and on the Military Ridge State Trail at Fitchburg’s Quarry Ridge Recreation Area. https://www.facebook.com/events/509841501781179/
That’s all for this newsletter. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming events.
Does the Autumn Ridge Path’s bike overpass still look like this? There’s only one way to find out.
Ride to the ribbon-cutting
One of Madison’s newest bike paths opened to users during the deep, brumal chill of December. So, on April 16, the city is throwing a vernal celebration for the Autumn Ridge Path, a north-south route anchored by a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Highway 30. The path connects neighborhoods divided by the highway, eases access to another bridge over Highway 51 to tie more of the city’s bike infrastructure together, and opens the door to future path extensions to the northeast.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday at 4346 Commercial Ave., the new bridge’s landing spot on the north side of Highway 30. Join Madison Bikes and other path-appreciators for a ride to the Autumn Ridge Path and the event, kicking off at 8 a.m. Wednesday at the BCycle station near Machinery Row Bicycles, 601 Williamson St. The leisurely ride — exclusively on bike paths and relatively quiet streets — will pass the BCycle station at Garver Feed Mill, 3241 Garver Green, around 8:20 a.m., and proceed east and north over the venerable Highway 51 bridge, through Hiestand Park and adjacent greenway, and across the new Autumn Ridge span.
Get a good look at the new route before planning your estival jaunts across the city.
More upcoming April Madison Bikes events
• April 23, Driving Federal Bike Safety Legislation: a meeting at Machinery Row to provide the newly motivated and the long-time advocates and everyone in between with updates on bike-related legislation and ways to take action on behalf of bike safety.
• April 27, Two Wheels, Many Stories: a mini-documentary screening and talk at the UW Arboretum with Julia Bourdet, French artist and author who traveled across the United States by bicycle and train, interviewing climate activists and collecting material for her upcoming graphic novel.
Apologies for the delay in getting this week’s newsletter sent to you.
Last year’s Bike Wash (Photo: Beth Skogen Photography)
Spring Bike Wash this SaturdaySunday!
The weather this week does not look too promising, but on SaturdaySunday things should be perfect for our Spring Bike Wash! From 2-4 pm, come join us and our friends from Freewheel on Clark Court (right next to Brittingham Park) to get that winter gunk off your bike and have the bike checked for safety and minor mechanical issues. You bring the bike; we bring the power washers, chain lube, rags, and mechanically inclined volunteers. Watch the news clip from last year’s event to get you in the mood! If the weather forecast starts looking questionable, please check the event’s Facebook page the day of for last minute updates.
A new street on the Southwest Side
The Transportation Commission is meeting Wednesday. One item of interest on their agenda: An extension of High Point Road at its southern end. The whole area, formerly home to the Marty Century Farm is being redeveloped.
Project locationOption with center turn lane
The proposed street would include unprotected on-street bike lanes and a multi-use path on one side of the street. The road would either be divided by a median or have a center two-way turn lane in the middle. The intersection with Raymond Road would either be a traditional intersection or a roundabout. If you have input on the design, you can email transportationcommission@cityofmadison.com or register to speak at the meeting. https://www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/committees/meeting-schedule/register
Save the dates: Driving Federal Bike Safety Legislation & Two Wheels, Many Stories
Are you interested in getting involved in bike advocacy, but don’t know where to start? Join us April 23rd at Machinery Row to learn about progress being made on federal bike safety legislation, hear first hand accounts of advocacy work, and take action though a guided communication to your elected officials. Alicia Bosscher, Dirk Debbink, and Mike Ridgeman will share the story of Sarah Debbink Langenkamp’s tragic death to traffic violence, share details about the bill named after Sarah and its progress, and help attendees to write letters to their own representatives. Whether you’re a long time advocate or just getting started with bike advocacy, come by to learn something new and take action!
Please note that the event is from 7 to 8:30 PM, not from 6:30 to 8 PM as the graphic says.
Join Madison Bikes, in partnership with UW European Studies, in a speaker session and mini-documentary screening with Julia Bourdet, a French artist and author who traveled across the United States by bicycle and train, interviewing climate activists and collecting material for her upcoming graphic novel. The presentation will include previews of the upcoming book, which combines real-life observations, fictional storytelling, and journal fragments to create a story about climate and ecological awareness.
In keeping with her commitment to reducing her carbon footprint, Julia Bourdet will be joining us virtually from France to discuss her project and virtual mini documentary screening.
One of last week’s seasonal Cyclists of Madison photos. On both Mastodon and Bluesky now (h/t Harald)
I’m glad we’re almost done with March.
This Week
On Tuesday, April 1, vote if you’re eligible. See last week’s post by Robbie for some great info and a lot more enthusiasm than I can muster. Enjoy it while you can!
Starting Tuesday, April 1, participate in the monthlong Spring Roll Challenge for Dane County.
To take part in the Spring Roll Challenge, residents can create a RoundTrip account at www.RoundTripGreaterMadison.org and log trips taken by biking, walking/rolling, riding the bus, and carpooling from April 1-30. Each green trip logged boosts your chances of winning weekly and grand prizes.
Don’t sleep on it too long because “the first 50 participants to log a green trip in April will receive a free slice from Ian’s Pizza and two complimentary Metro Transit rides.” Good deal.
On Wednesday, April 2 at 6:30 PM, Greater Madison MPO meets virtually. You can check out the agenda and detailed meeting packet if you like. There’s some interesting stuff in there if you care to dig.
On Sunday, April 6 from 12-4:00 PM, the semi-monthly “Open Shop @ Neighborhood House” hosted by Freewheel is happening. Their web site has all the details, but the gist is: “Bring your bike or work on donated bikes at Freewheel’s Open Shop. Experienced instructors are here to help. All skill levels welcome from beginner to pro. Everyone’s a learner, everyone’s a teacher.” Sweet, and convenient to many on the very near SW Side @ 29 S Mills St.
Later on Sunday, April 6 from 5-6:30 PM, join the first of a new, monthly series of Bike Advocacy Meetups hosted by Machinery Row Bicycles:
Machinery Row Bicycles and Madison Bikes are partnering to host a new Bike Advocacy Meetup group in Madison! For those who attended the Bicycle Book Club, our aim is to carry on that momentum with a monthly gathering. Open and free to all, we will meet the first Sunday of every month from 5-6:30pm at Machinery Row. Our first meetup is April 6! The first few meetings will focus on building community, as well as learning about and conducting a bike audit within the City of Madison.
We believe we can successfully advocate for change when there’s a dedicated community invested in the work and sustained by collective energy.
Come as you are and we hope to see you April 6! Help us spread the word by sharing this announcement with anyone who might be interested. Follow us on social media for updates or contact lauren@machineryrowbicycles.com to be added to the email list.
Upcoming
Keep the evening of Wednesday, April 23 free for a MB community event, also hosted by Machinery Row, titled “Driving Federal Bike Safety Legislation.”
Also, keep your eyes peeled for both old and new spring events that haven’t yet made it onto our calendar.
There aren’t any meetings or events coming up this week, but here’s a little news catch up and some reminders.
Catching up on news
Madison Bikes represents at the National Bike Summit
Three Madison Bikes board members – Jacob Bortell, Alicia Bosscher, and myself – attended the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC, March 11-13. This meeting is a combination of workshops, rides to see innovative infrastructure in DC, national speakers, and lobbying on Capitol Hill. It’s a great opportunity for board members to meet others from around the country, hear about programs we might want to replicate, and get information to help us push the city and country forward. Plus, we go up to talk to our Senators and House members about federal policy, funding, and legislation.
The biggest news to come out during our visit – although not good news – was the announcement that the US Department of Transportation plans to cut projects that contain bike infrastructure. We put out an action alert from the League of American Bicyclists, but we are still trying to figure out the details of the administrative memo and what this will mean for Madison.
The Wisconsin Bike Fed wrote a good summary of our congressional visits and the two federal initiatives we were pushing.
Renee Callaway retires
Renee Callaway – formerly the city Pedestrian and Bicycle Administrator and later promoted to Assistant Director in Traffic Engineering – retired on March 20. Renee has been working in bicycle planning, outreach, and engineering for 25 years or so. She has worked for the UW, WisDOT, the Madison Area MPO, and the city. We’ve been so lucky to have her working to improve bicycling all these years. You can read more Renee in a City of Madison post highlighting her career.
Now she’s going to enjoy more mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and general exploration. She’s got quite a travel itinerary planned, but she’ll also be around Madison a lot. Happy retirement, Renee, and thanks for all your hard work over the years!
Elections
Spring is upon us, and that means two things: Spring elections and road construction. They can both be painful, but if you pay attention, good things (or bad) may come of the pain.
April 1 is the spring election for local and non-partisan statewide offices. We all know that “non-partisan” is in name only for statewide offices, but since we are a local group, let’s concentrate on the local elections that will most impact bicycling, housing, transportation in general, and other close-to-home issues.
Every alder in Madison will be elected this year. In the future, half the Council will be elected each year in April. Because spring elections tend to be much lower turnout than fall elections, your vote counts even more. In 2023, one alder race was a tie, and the winner was selected by drawing a name from a hat. One more vote would have made the difference!
If you want to know more about the people that will be deciding what the city looks like, how it feels, how we can move around, and where we are going to spend money, check out this great resource that Madison Bikes board member Craig Weinhold put together. It has every candidate, their websites, the answers to questionnaires from local groups (including the one that Madison Bikes did jointly with others), and organizational and media endorsements they have received. Madison Bikes does not endorse candidates, but the answers to the questions we submitted for the joint questionnaire will give you some good information.
The election is April 1, but you can also vote in-person absentee – aka “early vote” – at locations around the city until March 30. To see who is on the ballot, where you vote on April 1, or where to vote early, go to MyVote.wi.gov/.
Road construction
East Wilson St
Work continues on the reconstruction of E Wilson St in downtown. This will include the extension of the two-way cycle track on Wilson St. But things are going to be messy from April 2 until mid-June. E Wilson will be fully closed from King St to S Pinckney St. More information can be found on the city of Madison site.
Seyne Rd
Work on Seyne Rd where it crosses the Cap City Trail in Fitchburg is scheduled to begin Monday, March 24. As always, there’s some flex in that date, due to coordination with local utilities. There may be disruptions to the trail crossing, and walking one’s bike across may be necessary at times.
When a Madison Bikes Community member asked the city of Fitchburg about turning onto Seyne Rd, this was the response: “For parts of the summer, the north/south path along Syene will be closed. I don’t have expected dates for when that will be, as it will depend on the contractor’s work schedule. We’ll be posting on social media and our website with weekly updates on closures and openings as the project progresses. The Capital City trail will remain open throughout construction, but there may be times when bikes need to be walked across the crossing with Syene.”
This is part of a larger project on Seyne Rd. If this is part of your ride or commute, you may want to check out the full project site.
Get your discounts via Bike Benefits
The warmer weather is bringing out more cyclists, so we wanted to make sure Bicycle Benefits is on everyone’s radar. You can get discounts at participating businesses around town by showing your helmet with a Bike Benefits sticker. Although Madison Bikes doesn’t run the program directly, we’ve sold the stickers in the past and plan to again.
So how does Bike Benefits work? It’s simple:
Cyclists purchase (for $5) a small Bicycle Benefits sticker for their bike helmet.
Show it at a participating location in order to get a discount or reward for arriving by bike.
The sticker does not expire, and most users will agree that it’s the best $5 they’ve ever spent. We hope that cyclists and individuals see the value in seeking out and patronizing locations that prioritize healthy transportation in the community. It’s affirmative-transportation-action led by the most progressive local businesses.If you know a location that you’d like to see pop up on the roster, pass them the link to sign-up. If you’d like to help us out as a volunteer ambassador or want more information on the program, send Ian Klepetar a message at ian@bicyclebenefits.org
Door zone bike lanes on an all ages and abilities street?
On Wednesday, the Transportation Commission has early feedback on the Pflaum Road project on the agenda. The agenda item doesn’t have a presentation attached yet, but there was a public meeting last week that showed a proposed layout.
Current conditions on Pflaum: No bike infrastructure at all
According to the city’s Complete Green Streets policy, Pflaum Road is on the All-Ages-and-Abilities bike network, that is, a street where policy is “to prioritize high-comfort bikeways.” However, the city is proposing to add a “door zone,” unprotected bike lane, squeezed in between car parking on one side and car traffic on the other.
Another item on the commission’s agenda: Reviewing the 2024 Annual Transportation Operations Report. There are lots of interesting facts and figures about transportation in Madison in the report. Among them, on page 14, is an overview of the bicycle improvements that were completed last year:
Stoughton Road North public hearing
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is hosting a public hearing about their Stoughton Road North project on MondayTuesday. This section of the project goes from Highway 30 to Anderson Road/Highway CV. A separate project covers the section south of there.
Most notably for people on bikes, WisDOT is showing a new shared use path along Stoughton Road from Highway 30 to Kinsman, and then from Hoepker north. This leaves a large gap along the airport — apparently there are some sort of FAA regulations that don’t allow a new path to be built there.
The public hearing will be at Madison College – Truax Building, Conference Room D1630, from 4 to 7 pm. You can also provide written testimony by emailing jeff.berens@dot.wi.gov
Two bike touring events this week!
On SaturdaySunday (!), join us for our bike packing and bike touring 101 and social! The event is geared both toward folks who are curious about or new to bike packing and touring, as well as more experienced folks. We’ll have a presentation about fundamentals, and then several community members will share their experiences doing different styles of bike touring, followed by a social. We’ll be at the Goodman Center in the Merryl Lynch Room from 2 to 4 pm. You can bring your own food and drink (but no alcohol).
If you’d rather keep your biking more local, Cool Bikes North is hosting a Bicycle Show ‘n’ Tell on Local Bike Routes on Thursday.
Come by March 20th for this free event from 6-8pm, and hear what our selection of local riders and routemakers have to offer for your spring riding inspiration!
This position helps fulfill the mission of our agency by advancing Madison’s sustainability, safety, and equity goals through innovative transportation planning initiatives. This role leads the implementation and maintenance of the City’s Complete Green Streets policy while supporting other key transportation plans, programs, and policies. By collaborating across departments, engaging with stakeholders, and refining planning processes, this position ensures Madison’s transportation system is equitable, efficient, and sustainable.
Vote vote vote!
A quick reminder to vote in the April 1 elections! In addition to the State Supreme Court, school board, and a constitutional referendum, all seats on the city council are up for election. Madison Bikes and a couple partner orgs sent a questionnaire to all candidates to help educate voters. See their answers here: https://www.madisonbikes.org/madison-spring-elections-2025/
Military Ridge closure in Verona
A lot of highway expansion projects are happening out by Epic in Verona. One of them is leading to a temporary closure of the Military Ridge Trail. WisDOT says that the work will be be done by Memorial Day and will include underpass improvements to mitigate (but not eliminate) flooding. Our board member Craig put together this visual of the closure and its detour:
Syene Rd path closure
Fitchburg is preparing to rebuild the intersection of Syene Rd, McCoy Rd, and the Cap City Trail. We’ll discuss this in more detail in future updates, but for now the path to the south is closed. Enjoy biking on Syene!
