Atwood Project Update

8/18/2023 Update:
This week, crews are station grading from Cottage Grove Road to Walter Street and wrapping up sanitary sewer and water main work in the full closure zone of Atwood Avenue between Fair Oaks Avenue and Oakridge Avenue/Sugar Avenue. They are also working on the storm sewer and station grading in that area, which will continue into next week.

The Contractor plans to work Saturday, Aug. 19 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Work on the pedestrian bridge at Starkweather Creek is also expected to begin next week. View a map of the traffic pattern and pedestrian and bike access PDF  points near Starkweather Creek, which will start Aug. 21.

Concrete and asphalt recycling operations on the Garver site will continue Aug. 21-22. This work will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day.

The following traffic patterns, detours and pedestrian access points are currently in place:

• Traffic is restricted to a single inbound lane (toward downtown) on the lake side of the Atwood Avenue from Cottage Grove Road to Walter Street.
• INBOUND/TOWARD DOWNTOWN DETOUR: Traffic traveling inbound on Atwood Avenue should turn right at Walter Street, take a left at Milwaukee Street, take a left at Fair Oaks Avenue and take a right to return to Atwood Avenue to continue downtown. All other side streets are for residential/local traffic only.
• OUTBOUND/AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN DETOUR: Traffic traveling away from downtown should use the existing outbound detour, which directs traffic from Atwood Avenue to Fair Oaks Avenue to US 51/Stoughton Road to Milwaukee Street to Cottage Grove Road.
• Vehicles traveling to Olbrich Botanical Gardens and Olbrich Park Boat Launch may access those destinations from the south via Walter Street or Cottage Grove Road. Traffic leaving those locations will have access to a temporary outbound lane on Atwood Avenue to Walter Street. Vehicles must take a left at Walter Street, then proceed to Milwaukee Street and continue to either the inbound or outbound detour. There is no outbound lane on Atwood Avenue past Walter Street.
• Pedestrians traveling from downtown toward Olbrich Park or Olbrich Botanical Gardens should use alternative streets like Maple Avenue, Ludington Avenue, Welch Avenue, Oakridge Avenue, Buena Vista Street, and Garrison Street to safely reach their destination.
• Vehicles, bikes and pedestrians should continue to use Walter Street as the main local access point to and from Atwood Avenue. Dennett Drive, Margaret Street and Olbrich Avenue will not be accessible from Atwood Avenue while the contractor builds new infrastructure at those intersections.

Click to view the Atwood closures and detours PDF PDF 

Area residents can use Ludington Avenue, Welch Avenue, Center Avenue or Garrison Avenue to access their properties during the closure. Individual driveways may not be accessible at certain times when work is being performed. Affected residents will be notified in advance and may park on the adjacent streets while their driveway is impacted.

Metro Transit will maintain temporary bus stops in the area. View more information on Metro Transit's website.

The Lake Loop bike detour also remains in place. View the Detour Lake Loop Map PDF PDF 

Private utilities (MGE, AT&T, Charter, etc.) continue to perform work during the street construction project requiring sidewalk and lane closures to move their facilities out of the way of the new street layout. WisDOT is the project lead for construction. Please email your comments and questions to ENComments@cityofmadison.com and we will work with the WisDOT construction engineer to provide answers.