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University Avenue Corridor Project
University Avenue, from the 1600 block to 2600 block, is a collector street in the Regent Neighborhood, Madison, WI. Prior to the construction of Campus Drive in 1968, the street was the major east-west thoroughfare connecting Madison's Westside to the campus and Downtown. The Campus Drive bypass diverted traffic from the once bustling street. The positive of the bypass: adjacent residential neighborhoods have benefitted from a less traffic congested street. The negative of the bypass: less neighborhood-serving businesses are operating because of local traffic patterns and the growing competition of the Hilldale area. An important question for the neighborhood to answer is what is the best future for the corridor? And how will changes be incorporated into the existing character of the neighborhood?
Planning Process
In Spring of 2010, a visioning and planning process started for the University Avenue Corridor (UAC). The Department of Planning & Community & Economic Development (DPCED) worked with the business community, residents, and the Regent Neighborhood Association (RNA) to solicit input for the vision, land use, and private and public improvements for the area. The neighborhood planning process has included:
- Three Public Open Houses
- Art & Design Workshops
- Business Community Interviews and Meetings
In addition, a professional group of builders, developers, and a financial representative provided on preliminary land use/development concepts as part of testing the "economic likelihood" of some of the land use recommendations in the draft plan.
Plan Status
The Regent Neighborhood Association (RNA) has taken the leadership role in preparing the neighborhood plan. On November 14, 2012 RNA sponsored an Open House to solicit input on preliminary plan recommendations. Other community input sessions are planned for 2013.
Information about the status of the University Avenue Corridor Plan (UAC) recommendations can be located on the RNA neighborhood association website. Questions about the Draft UAC Plan can be directed to Alderperson Bidar-Sielaff or RNA Board at uacplan@gmail.com.
Study Boundaries
The study area includes the street segment of University Avenue from Breeze Terrace on the east, Farley Avenue on the west, Campus Drive on the north, and Kendall Avenue on the south. The primary focus is on the physical improvement and future build-up of the corridor; however, the project will examine the connectivity of the street to the larger region, vitality of the Highland Avenue business node, and the potential reuse and/or redevelopment of key sites
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Residents generated ideas about how to improve the corridor at the Art & Design Workshops (June-July 2010)
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