Water, water, everywhere. Who wants to visit it on a bike? This week’s newsletter visits the future of one of Madison’s most scenic bike destinations and one of its least bike-friendly thoroughfares. Ride along, will you?
Madison LakeWay public meeting
Tonight — Monday, July 21, at 6:30 p.m. — the Madison Parks Department will host a virtual public meeting on the first phase of development on the Lake Monona shoreline along a rebuilt John Nolen Drive. The meeting will include an overview of proposed lakeshore “amenities,” with updates on progess and next steps, as well as an opportunity to provide feedback. Madison LakeWay, the organization partnering with the city of Madison on plans for more than half a mile of the waterfront, has more information on what to expect.
Speaking of John Nolen Drive construction, if you’re in the mood for some long-term bike route planning, Madison is laying out its plan for detours — including for bike path closures — for several years’ worth of John Nolen construction.
More South Stoughton Road
If you missed the July 15 public information meeting on planning the future of South Stoughton Road / Highway 51, Madison’s Transportation Commission will get an update at their virtual meeting on Wednesday, July 23. As mentioned in previous Madison Bikes newsletters, the current design lacks bicycle and pedestrian access along and across the highway. You can learn more about those issues and how the corridor may change in the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s study materials.
Volunteer for Ride the Drive
Volunteers are needed for the Madison Bikes event at Ride the Drive on Sunday, Aug. 10. The Madison Bikes tent will be on John Nolen Drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. cranking out bike-powered smoothies talking about Madison Bikes. Sign up to volunteer with Madison Bikes here. And/or sign up to volunteer with Madison Parks for the larger event here.
The bike counter’s daily count at 7pm on a Saturday – about 2x the daily average of 1383 at this station.
Welcome to the Madison Bikes Newsletter. This week, we have some meeting news, construction updates, group ride info, and a Madison Bikes volunteer opportunity.
Stoughton Rd Public Information Meeting
On Tuesday, July 15th, there will be another public information meeting for planning the future of Stoughton Rd / US 51. The meeting is one in a series that will dive into the current and potential future issues with the corridor, and what designs and alternatives area residents would like to see to make the best use of the space. There are a myriad of issues with the current design, including a lack of bicycle access along and across US 51, and a glaring lack of pedestrian crossing opportunities. The intersections at Buckeye and Pflaum are notorious for being some of most dangerous intersections in the entire city.
A while back, we shared some conceptual design alternatives from WisDOT on potential changes to the road. While none of the alternatives are perfect, the options that improve the ability for cyclists and pedestrians to safely use and cross the road without going miles out of their way are my preference. What are your thoughts on US 51? If you are interested, you can use the link on the project page to send your comments (look for the “comment now” link), or even better, you can come to the meeting on Tuesday and tell WisDOT you care about safer pedestrian and bike access.
Bikes and Tacos
Did you know that every Wednesday, you can join a casual group ride and get discounted tacos? Well, now you do! Join Motorless Motion for the weekly Taco Ride every Wednesday at 6pm, beginning at their shop on W Washington Ave and ending next door at Bandit Tacos.
A few weeks ago, board member Craig Weinhold helped lead a special Infrastructure edition of the Taco Ride in a collab with Madison Bikes. The ride rolled through town and stopped at notable infrastructure like the exciting, newly completed E Wilson cycletrack (part of the E Wilson reconstruction project). The infrastructure x taco ride was the first of its kind, but hopefully there will be more room for collaboration in the future. And there will always be tacos, so what are you waiting for?
Construction Season Means a Detour for the Detour
Heads up to commuters in SW Madison: this week (July 14-23) Cherokee Dr will be closed to through traffic. Since it was being used as a detour for the Nakoma construction, there will be a new detour on Manitou Way for the week. More info can be found on the City’s Facebook post or the project website.
Volunteers needed for Ride the Drive
Volunteers are needed for Madison Bikes’ Event at Ride the Drive on Sunday, August 10th. This is separate form the volunteers needed by the City of Madison Parks for Ride the Drive. Our tent will be on John Nolen Drive from 10 am until 2 pm where we will be making bike powered smoothies and talking to people about Madison Bikes – who we are, what we do, and upcoming events. You can sign up to volunteer here!
That’s all for this newsletter. Thanks for reading and have a great week!
Over 100 riders showed up for the Motorless Motion Bike Week Taco Ride
Welcome to the Madison Bikes newsletter. What a wonderful Bike Week it has been! There was so much effort that went into the planning and coordination for the past week of rides, classes, discounts, snack stations, and more. We are incredibly grateful for all of the community members, businesses, and volunteers who put on or helped with the events that made this week incredible. With a record number of 89 events, including a party with a pig, classical music on the bike path, and an awesome end-of-week party with over 300 attendees, the past week is one we will remember for a long time. To everyone who organized, helped, or attended events: THANK YOU!
With a record number of events came several infrastructure tours that I’d like to share more about. To kick off Bike Week on Sunday the 1st, Madison Bikes board member Craig Weinhold took community members around the East side of Madison to see current and future infrastructure project locations. One of the highlights was seeing the potential future location of the Cap City to Glacial Drumlin connector path. The path, once in existence, will safely connect the East end of the Capital City Trail to the Glacial Drumlin Trailhead in Cottage Grove.
Craig (right) talks to the infrastructure tour group about the future Glacial Drumlin Connector path
The photo above was taken just South of Wagon Trail, near I90, where a portion of the path will begin after the route takes you through existing neighborhood streets. The portion from here through the I90 crossing has been committed to by the city of Madison and is likely to be constructed in 2026. For the next portion, the county is responsible and we are likely to see it in 2026-2027.
Map of existing and future path plans for the Glacial Drumlin Connector, courtesy of Craig
Shifting gears over to the West side of town, on Saturday the 7th, Jerry Schippa took infrastructure enthusiasts on a ride from the Western BRT terminal on S Junction Rd all the way to downtown. The ride stopped at notable points of infrastructure including lots of improvements along Mineral Point Rd that came with the BRT construction. One highlight of the tour was seeing the inside of a traffic signal cabinet.
Jerry Schippa showcases the internals of a traffic control cabinet at University Ave / Ridge St / Marshall Ct
This cabinet contains a sophisticated system that uses sensors and complex algorithms to manage traffic flow for vehicles, buses, bikes, and pedestrians. This technology, rather than being a simple timer for traffic lights, can do things like detect the presence of vehicles through loops embedded in the road and preemptively change signals to prioritize emergency vehicles. Cabinets like this can even be controlled remotely to make quick updates to signaling.
While many are newer, some of the traffic control cabinets around town are over 40 years old. Some of these older cabinets are not able to support the complex signaling required for those who are walking or biking to safely and conveniently use the intersection.
Another interesting traffic signal you might see in Madison is an indicator light showing cyclists that a bicycle has been detected so they are not wondering if the light is going to change for them, or be at the mercy of a motor vehicle coming along and triggering the sensor. While buried detection loops for bicycles are common in Madison, the city currently only has 2 of these visual signals: one at Park/Erin and the other at E. Johnson/First. They are very expensive, and to get more intersections added, the city is considering making them in-house in the future.
Also on Jerry’s ride, we got a peek at a new path section being built from High Point Rd to Zor Shrine Pl (beyind REI). It is the second-to-last section of the long-awaited West Beltline Path.
Along with being a great infrastructure tour guide, Jerry also has a YouTube channel with dozens of videos and shorts about traffic signal operations and other infrastructure content.
New Week, New Path
The newly added path on the North side of N. Shore Dr
The new path along the North side of N. Shore Drive is coming along nicely. It is part of a series of bikeway improvements that are currently in progress. Other current projects include a new path along the NW side of E. Washington between the Yahara Path and N. First St. and a path connection between Winnebago St and Lafollette Ave. All of the above are expected to be complete by mid June.
That’s all for this newsletter. We hope you enjoyed Bike Week and as always, thanks for being a part of the Madison Bikes community.
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.
Participants line up near the start line of the Hugh Jass finale race at Blackhawk in Middleton
Welcome to the Madison Bikes newsletter. I hope you enjoyed the two week fat biking season. Well, that’s over and now it’s False Spring 2 meaning days are getting longer and bike rides are getting slightly warmer and more bearable.
Transportation Commission: W Wash and Transportation Improvement Program
Transportation Commission is meeting on Wednesday at 5 pm. The agenda includes a couple of relevant biking projects: one involving the SW Path crossing at W. Washington and the other about the Transportation Improvement Program.
During this week’s meeting, TC will give an update on the SW Path crossing alternatives. If you aren’t in the loop, the Railroad Commission is requiring that the city remove the Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (RRFB) which was installed in 2017. Back in September 2024, following a series of crashes, this crossing was temporarily narrowed down from 4 total lanes to 2, which decreased crossing time and improved safety for users of the SW Path. Because the RRFB has to be removed, there are two alternative considerations. While both options involve adding a traffic signal to the intersection to stop vehicle traffic for path users to cross, one includes keeping the currently built 4 lanes, while the other involves curb work to permanently narrow it to 2.
The other topic on the agenda is the Transportation Improvement Program. The document lays out the potential road and path projects from 2026-2031, including street reconstructions, resurfacing projects, bikeway and sidewalk additions and improvements, and bridge repair. One notable new path planned for later this year is the bike path along the North side of North Shore Drive (opposite the existing bike path) from the SW Path to Bedford. Infrastructure projects like this path extension take a lot of planning ahead of time, so it’s necessary to plan them well in advance to better anticipate the needs of our growing city. Check out the program slides for more detailed info and all the known projects.
Bike Packing Social Event
Looking ahead to later this month, on March 23rd, Madison Bikes will be hosting a Bike Packing Social community event! We’ll be at the Goodman Community Center at 2 pm to share bike packing stories, gear tips, and get ideas churning for future adventures.
We’ll have brief show-and-tells featuring different gear setups and explanations of what you will need to pull off your own adventure. Presenters will talk about their experiences exploring northern Wisconsin, doing an ultra race around the Netherlands, riding RAGBRAI without having to worry about carrying your gear, and riding through the Alps. After that there will be plenty of time for Q&A, socializing, and planning for getting out there on the next adventure.
If you have Facebook, please let us know you can make it on the event page.
That’s all for this newsletter. Thanks for reading! Hope to see you at the bike packing event or one of our other functions this year.
No foolin’, spring elections are April 1. Madison Bikes has partnered with Madison is for People, Madison Area Community Land Trust, Affordable Housing Action Alliance and Strong Towns Madison on a questionnaire for Madison Common Council candidates covering transportation, housing and sustainability.
Get to know your future representatives and let them know more about you and your concerns by reading and sharing the spring candidate questionnaire when answers are posted starting March 5. Until then, you can help spread the word by asking the candidates in your district if they’ve participated in the questionnaire.
Where are we all going so fast?
What do you know about Vision Zero? How about Safe Streets Madison? For a — begging your pardon — crash course on traffic safety in Madison, look no further than this recent presentation by Yang Tao, the city’s Director of Traffic Engineering. His talk, “Prioritizing Traffic Safety for all Road Users,” was a lunch-and-learn for an audience in City Council District 7, but there’s plenty to glean about the city-wide approach to improving access and eliminating traffic fatalities.
Sneak preview: Mud season
A drastic swing in daytime temperatures will take Madison straight from the deep freeze to a bit of pseudo-spring this week. The high highs will make quick work of the snow, exposing a thick layer of grime on many bike routes.
The good news is … water is liquid at these temperatures. So, while you hang up the balaclava and that extra layer or two you’ve been wearing, considering helping your bike shed some accumulated layers of salt and fresh spatters of sand and mud with a quick shower. Just don’t forget to treat that chain (if you have one) to its own post-shower dose of lubricant to keep it loose and happy.
Madison Bike’s International Winter Bike Day event was a resounding success, drawing around 50 enthusiastic participants despite the chilly weather! We are proud of our community of bike riders who ride in any weather, and the city staff that make it possible.
Transportation Commission’s Transit History Presentation
Illinois Central Lines (1887)
City staff will give a presentation titled, “The History and Future of Madison Transportation” at the Transportation Commission on Wednesday, February, 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM. The presentation will cover the early days of mule-drawn buses, the rise and fall of electric streetcars, and the introduction of bus services that have connected Madison’s neighborhoods over the decades.
Hugh Jass Fat Bike Race
Saturday, February 22, 2025 is the date of the Hugh Jass Bike Race in Middleton, WI, starting at 9 am. Find more information here. What to expect: Get ready for the series finale at Blackhawk!! Machine built singletrack, jump lines, groomed CX ski trails, climbs on the side of a ski hill? You won’t want to miss this one! NOTE: ONLY Fat Bikes (3.7in tire or larger) can ride this one.
Address: 10118 Blackhawk Rd, Middleton, WI 53562
2025 Spring Primary
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Last, but certainly not least, there’s a spring primary election in Wisconsin on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Check your registration here and make sure to have your voice heard at the ballot box!
Welcome to the Madison Bikes newsletter! It seems Winter is finally here and those of us who enjoy fat biking, ice skating, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and more are taking what we can get. I hope you all are doing well in whichever way you choose to fight off the Winter blues.
Tom Lynch Retires; City Seeks New Director of Transportation
After 7 years as Director of Transportation, Tom Lynch is retiring. Over his time as Director, Tom has supported active transportation and improving transportation safety through projects such as Vision Zero, Complete Green Streets, and Transportation Demand Management (just to name a few). He has clearly been a strong ally for cycling and other alternatives to driving, and for that, we say a huge THANK YOU and congratulations!
That also means the city is looking for a new Director of Transportation. The new director will be expected to expand on the work Tom has accomplished and lead our growing city into an even more efficient, safe, and equitable transportation future. Experienced urban planners and transportation professionals need only apply here.
Cycling Friends Unite: GearShift Gathering
This Friday, January 17th from 4-7 pm, Bikes for Kids Wisconsin is hosting a GearShift Gathering where local bike nonprofits will meet to socialize, share updates on bicycling projects, and learn about volunteer opportunities. Visitors are more than welcome to attend and learn about what’s going on in the Madison bike scene and how they can get involved. There will be snacks and door prizes, too! If you plan to attend and you have access to Facebook, please RSVP on the event page.
Brazen Dropouts Bike Swap
Polish up your spare bike parts and get ready to haggle. Bike enthusiasts will not want to miss the annual Brazen Dropouts Bike Swap this Saturday, January 18th from 10 am – 1 pm at the Alliant Energy Center. If you haven’t been to this event before, the exhibition hall with be filled with tables full of used and new bike parts, accessories, and gear, along with a corral of complete bikes available to be test ridden.
The bike swap will take place in the New Holland Pavilion, where parking is available for $8, or ride your bike for free! While you do not need bring anything to “swap,” if you (and 2 friends) have surplus bike parts or gear you want to sell, you can sign up to be a vendor. As of the time of writing this, there are still tables available. You can also bring complete bikes to sell along with a completed Bike Corral form, no table required. The form and all other bike swap info can be found on the website linked at the top of this section.
Be aware that there is a cost if you want to shop early for the best selection:
$10 early bird admission 10am-11am $5 general admission 11am-12pm $0 free admission 12pm-1pm
The swap will be sure to have some great deals, and it supports reusing bikes and parts that still have a lot of life left in them!
That’s all we have for you this week. Hope to see you at an upcoming event and thanks for being part of the Madison Bikes community.
A bicyclist rides down the Yahara River Path in Winter
Welcome to the Madison Bikes newsletter. It’s a light week in bike advocacy news with the holiday, but there is some highway news we think you should know about.
Stoughton Road Redesign
The second public involvement meeting for the Stoughton Road redesign project was last week, and WisDOT is looking for more feedback on the design alternatives. The project scope includes US51 (Stoughton Road) from just South of Highway 30 to just South of the Beltline. That corridor of Stoughton Road is notoriously dangerous, with record numbers of crashes including 8 bicycle/pedestrian injury crashes and 2 fatal vehicle on pedestrian crashes. 83% of all crashes in this corridor are at intersections, with both Buckeye and Broadway being ranked in the 10 worst intersections for crashes in Madison. In addition to the poor safety record, WisDOT has observed concerning and inefficient traffic conditions at most existing intersections and anticipates 1/2 mile backups by 2050 if no changes are introduced.
For the redesign, the materials included 6 options (including the “no change” option). Alternatives included expanding intersections or removing frontage roads and providing direct access to businesses. Some of them propose reducing speed limits to 35mph and adding safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure. You can see all the design options in detail on the project site, or check out the one-page summary here.
Personally, I would love to see a number of changes to Stoughton Road to improve safety and access for users outside motor vehicles, including reduced speed limits, increasing the number of safe crossings, and reducing the total width of the roadway to allow for more green space. Studies have shown that increasing the number of lanes and adding extra capacity for motor vehicles does not have a positive impact on the amount of traffic, but instead encourages more people to drive resulting in the same or worse traffic congestion as before the expansion. The only reliable way to reduce traffic congestion is to provide viable alternatives to driving. What can you do to help with that mission and make biking better in Madison? It only takes a few minutes to fill out the survey and let WisDOT know you care about bike, pedestrian, and transit access.
Come Chat Winter Biking With Us
Looking ahead to next week: on Tuesday, December 3rd Madison Bikes is hosting a Winter Bike Social at Working Draft, from 5:30-7:30. We’ll be enjoying warm drinks and chatting about all things biking, including how to have a successful ride in cold and wet weather. Stop by any time and bring your bike and your favorite piece of Winter bike gear!
That’s all we have for you this week. Thanks for being part of the Madison Bikes community.
Can you believe the weather we are having in late October? Hope you’d been able to get out and enjoy this warm, dry stretch of beautiful fall. A ride through the Arboretum or far out into the country are both great ways to enjoy the colors. And a bit more to come this week.
Atwood Path artwork
As part of the city Percent for Art program, some path artwork and reminders of etiquette appear on the Atwood Paths near Olbrich Park this past week. A discussion ensued on our Facebook community, with some enjoying the additions, and others saying you can’t read them while riding at speed or they didn’t like being scolded with messages.
John Nolen Drive project
The informational meeting on John Nolen Drive had both good and bad news. The bad news is that at this time, the underpass of JND between North Shore Dr and Broom St has been removed from the plan. The cost to build it was estimated to be almost as much as the entire rest of the road project. The city did show two possible versions of the underpass, but they are not planning on moving forward with either one at this time. The underpass would not have been constructed with the first phase of the JND project regardless of cost because of funding from the state and federal government – which makes up most of the funding for the first phase – wouldn’t have covered it.
Another bad news item from the meeting, although more expected, was that the Capital City Path from Lakeside to North Shore – essentially the causeway – will have to be closed for about a year during construction. There is just no way to keep it open while the bridges are being rebuilt. The roadway portion will be down to one lane in each direction, and bicycle and pedestrian traffic will be detoured around Monona Bay.
The good news of the project is that the new path on the northwest side of North Shore and JND through Brittingham Park will be built before the construction starts, creating a connection between the SW Path and Broom that avoids JND completely. The JND intersections at North Shore Dr and Broom will also be vastly improved, making crossing these streets and JND itself much easier and safer (once all the construction dust clears.)
You can view a recording of the meeting and/or see the slides on the project website.
Autumn Ridge bridge raising
We don’t have any photos, but on Tuesday there was a bridge placed over Highway 30 that will be part of the Autumn Ridge Path on the east side. We won’t be able to use the path and overpass until next year, but this is going to be a great connection for the area.
One of our community members mentioned on Facebook that he took video. Maybe he’ll share that.
The week ahead
Wednesday, 5:00, online Transportation Commission will meet, but there isn’t much exciting on the agenda. You can also watch the meeting or register to comment at that link as well.
The TC will receive an update on BCycle/Bicycle Transit Systems transition, but as of this writing, there are no documents on the item, so it’s hard to say how extensive or interesting it will be. There will also be an update of the Transportation and operating and capital budgets for next year. Again, no documents at this time, but there may be information on what may change if the referendum doesn’t pass.
Please vote!
Early voting is available until Sunday, Nov 3. Early voting is available across the city at libraries three locations on the UW campus, and a variety of other locations, so everyone should be able to find a place close to where they live, work, or shop. If you are not registered at your current address, you can register at the same time as you vote through Friday, Nov 1 or on Election Day.
Although Madison Bikes has not taken an official position on anything on the ballot, Harald and Craig wrote an excellent blog post on how a referendum failure might affect bicycling – including maintenance, safety programs, and future infrastructure.
Obviously, voting is incredibly important, and your voice on all things local, state, and federal. We all know how important Wisconsin will be in the presidential race – the last two presidential elections came down to 3 votes per ward across the state. Please make sure you are one of those votes.
