Madison Reporter

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Madison Central Improvement District Executive Director Matt Tramel have officially launched the State Street Pedestrian Mall experiment. The initiative, symbolized by a ribbon-tying ceremony on State Street, marks the cessation of non-emergency traffic on the 400-600 blocks of State Street.

"This is an experiment in us figuring out how to close these blocks to vehicle traffic and open them up to people who are walking and biking and rolling outside of a motor vehicle,” Mayor Rhodes-Conway said at Wednesday’s ceremony. “We are super excited to have this opportunity.”

The pedestrian-friendly zone will be adorned with artwork and will host a series of summer activities and entertainment for all ages, organized by Madison’s Central Business Improvement District. The program commences with the Madison Night Market on Thursday night.

"We’re going to have some fun with it, and we can’t wait to see the community come together on Madison’s iconic State Street,” Tramel said. “We really want to create a unique and engaging experience for the pedestrians on State Street. We want to encourage people who don't often come downtown to come back downtown again and again.”

The summer's schedule includes family-friendly events like "Kids on State," wellness-centric activities dubbed "Wellness Wednesdays," and pet-friendly socials known as "Yip-py" Hours.

From now until October, traffic will be closed from 3 p.m. until 4 a.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. until 4 a.m. on weekends and holidays, providing pedestrians and bikers with an uninterrupted stretch of State Street.

The City of Madison’s Planning Division collaborated with business owners on State Street to ensure their delivery needs were met while maintaining the pedestrian-friendly environment.

"We have to acknowledge that one of the major draws to State Street is not the street – it's what’s on the side. It’s the businesses that bring people here, those are really the lifeblood of State Street,” City of Madison Planner Dan McAuliffe said during Wednesday’s event.

Feedback will be collected from local business owners, residents, and users of the Pedestrian Mall to assess the success of the experiment and identify areas for improvement. Feedback can be shared via QR codes on new planters placed alongside benches in the Pedestrian Mall area or online at www.flocktostate.com.

“That’s what an experiment is about,” Mayor Rhodes-Conway said. “It’s about us collecting data and innovating and improvising and getting better.”

More information about the planning process leading up to this summer's experiment can be found on the Planning Division's website.