Madison Reporter

The city of Madison invites the community to a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the opening of the new Autumn Ridge Path. The ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. on April 16, 2025, at 4346 Commercial Avenue, located on the city's east side.

The Autumn Ridge Path offers a new shared-use connection between Milwaukee Street and Commercial Avenue, situated north of Highway 30. This project includes a newly constructed bridge over Highway 30, enhancing safety and accessibility for non-motorized transportation across the highway. The path is part of a broader effort to expand the area's bike network, linking the existing Stoughton Road overpass and Eastmorland neighborhood to the newly built Garver Path, Capital City Trail, and Downtown Madison. Future expansions of this network are planned towards the northeast.

Starting at its southern end, the Autumn Ridge Path includes improvements through Hiestand Park to widen the current path to ten feet. It continues through the Engineering-owned greenway property and connects via Stein Avenue to a new segment through a greenway adjacent to the Thompson Road ramp off Highway 30. The path then ascends adjacent to the ramp, crosses the new bridge over the highway, and descends on the north side, connecting to Ziegler Road, which links to paths within Sycamore Park.

The project was largely funded by a federal grant of $2.5 million, supplemented by $2 million from local city funds. Construction began in June 2025. The project's highlight is the bridge overpass with three prefabricated trusses over Highway 30 and Commercial Avenue and a multi-span loop on the north-side bridge approach. The path is substantially complete and open to the public, while some final touches will continue in the spring, allowing the path to remain accessible.

The ribbon-cutting event welcomes the public, and media planning to attend should RSVP to Hannah Mohelnitzky.