Madison Reporter

Since 2020, Vision Zero Madison has implemented annual safety improvement and speed management projects to enhance safe travel on city streets. These initiatives focus on incorporating Proven Safety Countermeasures into roadway infrastructure, such as high visibility crosswalks, green bike markings, rapid flashing beacon lights, and increased signal visibility. Additionally, speed limits have been lowered across the city in high injury zones.

“Traveling on our streets should be safe for everyone – regardless of their age, ability or travel mode,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “Vision Zero strives to improve our streets and prevent serious and fatal crashes. While each of these projects may be small, they add up to a big impact, and a safer city.”

Vision Zero infrastructure improvements are carried out alongside larger reconstruction projects as well as through smaller enhancements at critical locations under the Safe Streets Madison Program. Each infrastructure project provides an opportunity to proactively build safer streets.

Examples of Vision Zero safety improvements include:

- **Segoe Rd and Sheboygan Ave Project (Under Construction):** Features fully protected bike facilities on Segoe Rd and buffered bike lanes on Sheboygan Ave, bump-outs throughout Segoe Rd to shorten crossings and slow traffic, improved street lighting, high visibility crosswalk markings, and green bike markings.

- **Atwood Avenue Project (Complete):** Includes an off-street two-way pedestrian bicycle path along Atwood Ave, enhanced crossings with high visibility crosswalks and green bike path crossings, raised crossings at midblock locations with high use, improved lighting, and intersections with safety measures for pedestrian bicycle crossing.

- **Wilson Street Project (Partially Complete):** Involves new protected bike facilities, high visibility crosswalk markings, and improved street lighting.

### 2024 Safe Streets Projects

This year’s Safe Streets projects encompass various school safety initiatives, traffic calming measures like rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), traffic signal safety enhancements, and other pedestrian bicycle improvements.

#### School Safety Projects:

- Sandburg Elementary: Donald Dr – new midblock crosswalk

- East High School: N Fourth St – speed humps

- Kennedy Elementary: Meadowlark Dr – speed humps

- Southside Elementary: Moorland Rd – median island

- Mendota Elementary: School Rd – speed humps

- Henderson Elementary: Tompkins Dr – speed humps

- Leopold Elementary: Traceway Dr – speed humps

#### Traffic Calming Projects:

- Drake St – an island and RRFB at Orchard St pedestrian crossing; two speed humps near the Zoo area west of Randall Ave

- Great Gray Dr – series of pedestrian islands at Owl Creek Park

- Milky Way – four total speed humps along the roadway

- Moorland Rd at Dunwoody Dr – pedestrian island and RRFB at school crosswalk

- Muir Field Rd at Cimarron Trl – two traffic calming islands

- Odana Rd – six additional center concrete islands between Grand Canyon Dr and S Whitney Way

- Traceway Dr – four total speed humps near Aldo Leopold Park

- Jackson Quarry Ln - one speed hump

#### Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs):

Completed in May 2024:

- Cottage Grove Rd at Maher Ave

- Regent St at Brooks St

To be installed this summer:

- Sprecher Rd at Dominion Dr

- S Whitney Way at S Hill Dr

- Northport Dr at Goodland Dr

- Atwood Ave at Miller Ave/Waubesa St

Other planned installations include:

- E Washington Ave at Schmedeman Ave (Kwik Trip)

- Seminole Hwy at Manitou Way with City Engineering Bikeways Path project this summer.

- E Doty St at S Pinckney St with City Engineering resurfacing project this fall.

- Portage Rd at Tomscot Trl later this summer/fall.

- E Washington Ave at Kedzie St after Bus Rapid Transit work is completed in the area.

- Odana Rd RRFB setup with temporary curbs this summer; permanent curb changes later.

#### Traffic Signal Safety Improvements:

Pedestrian countdown signals:

Fish Hatchery Rd-S Park St-Parr St

Protected left turns:

N Frances St-University Ave

Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS):

Cedar St-S Park St & Northport Dr-Dryden Dr

Additional Pedestrian Bicycle Improvement Projects:

Tennyson Ln crosswalks; Green bike lanes:

W Dayton St-N Randall Ave & various multi-use path crossings

Driver Feedback Board:

7900 block of Raymond Rd

### 2024 Speed Management Projects

Starting in June 2024, efforts will continue to set safe speed limits on several streets including Zeier Road from E Washington Avenue to Lien Road (35 mph to 30 mph), Thierer Road from E Washington Avenue to Lien Road (35 mph to 30 mph), among others.

Data indicates that Madison’s recent reductions in speed limits have led to significant decreases in vehicles traveling over the limit. According to studies conducted across multiple locations within the city limits:

“We want to thank our residents and City officials for the support and collaboration in making our streets safer,” said Yang Tao, Director of the City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division. “To achieve safer streets, Madison needs to continue improving walking conditions biking accessibility throughout the community. Everyone deserves safe streets for commuting work school recreation."

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