Meetings and Updates Week of May 29th

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Meeting & Updates for the Week of May 29, 2023

  • Happy Memorial Day weekend!
  • Transportation Commission Meeting 5/24 - great discussion
  • Dogs in Parks Policy
  • Coffee with a Cop 5/30
  • Announcements and Events

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

It’s easy to take our freedoms for granted, and this weekend is more than just the symbolic start of summer. Let’s remember that this is a holiday to remember and honor the service and sacrifice of those who served their country. A few updates related to the holiday:

Transportation Commission meeting 5/24

I wanted to highlight a meeting of the City’s Transportation Commission this past week that covered several very important Citywide transportation topics that affect many of us. Here’s the agenda for the meeting and here’s a recording. Here are some highlights:

  • Metro Transit Network Redesign (effective 6/11) update begins at 5 and 50 seconds in the meeting recording. This conversation covered Metro’s community engagement efforts to inform riders of the change as well as the process Metro will use to gather data and feedback to make adjustments to the schedule or possibly tweak routes.
  • Reiner Neighborhood Development Plan (read more about this in my 5/22 post) begins at minute 53 in the recording. The commissioners had a very thoughtful conversation about the timing of adding bus service to a new neighborhood with much more housing, and expressed some concerns about the lack of transit coverage at the beginning of development may establish car-focused commuting patterns, straining nearby streets. The Transportation Commission ultimately recommended approval of the Reiner NDP while noting this concern. I hear and share this concern, and have initiated conversations with Metro about their transit route planning policy to see how we can support the growth of new neighborhoods while also offering alternatives to cars.
  • Quarterly Traffic Safety Report by MPD begins at hour 1, minute 38 of the recording. Lots of important data about traffic safety trends so far in 2023 and how that compares to previous years. Check this one out for more background on what we’re seeing City-wide: high injury networks, streets with the most speeding and dangerous driving activity (traffic complaints are the #1 complaint reported to MPD), and how MPD patrols these areas – including East Washington Avenue – in partnership with the Dane County Sherriff’s office. Traffic Commissioners and City Staff receive this information quarterly so they can make informed decisions about roadway or intersection projects, bike/pedestrian network projects, and speed limits and other policy.

I’m happy to discuss any of these issues or topics with you, so feel free to send me an email at district3@cityofmadison.com. That meeting was a great example of thoughtful, well-informed Commissioners offering great input on the City’s biggest transportation topics. The Transportation Commission is being recreated in a few weeks to reflect its combination with the duties of the former Transportation Policy and Planning Board and to reflect the new staggered Alder terms in effect in 2025. I think this is a great occasion to remind readers that they should consider applying to join one of the City’s Boards, Committees, and Commissions!

Dogs in Parks Policy

The Madison Parks staff are working on a change to dogs-in-park policy in response to community feedback about past changes that made select parks dog-free. Here’s a post from staff with background describing recent changes as well as next steps. Here’s their summary:

“With the feedback and support of the Park Rangers, the LRP subcommittee is proposing leashed, licensed and permitted dogs be allowed in all general parks, with continued notable exceptions – including conservation parks, athletic fields, beaches, shelters, playgrounds, golf courses (during golf season), splash parks, culturally significant resources such as burial mounds, and more.

Dog owners are expected to keep their dog leashed and under their control at all times as well as always pick up their dog's waste. This proposed change allows Park Rangers to better monitor and enforce through education and citations.

In July, the BPC will review the proposed change, to allow leashed, licensed and permitted dogs in most parks. The community is invited to provide feedback by email and/or attend the virtual Board of Park Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.” If you have input, please consider sharing that with the Parks staff and the Parks Commission members at that email address!

Coffee with a Cop Tuesday 5/30/23

From Madison Police Department’s East District: “We will have our monthly 'Coffee with a Cop', at the East District Station (809 S Thompson Dr.) in the front community room. Coffee will be provided for those who join us! For this event and future Coffee with a Cop events we will be continuing our efforts of adjusting when we hold our event to allow for more flexibility across the community. My hope is by adjusting the time for our Coffee with a Cop event we can fit more individual's schedules. Our next coffee day is scheduled on Tuesday, May 30th, 2023 from 11:00am-12:00pm. Please feel free to stop in at any time to participate. Parking is available in the front lot of EPD. Please do not pass the fence line or park near the squads. Should the lot run out of parking spaces street parking is available as well as along a side of the EPD driveway. Please do not block the driveway as officers will need to come and go to address calls for service in the community.  As usual, we are excited about this opportunity and ask that you spread the word to anyone who might be interested in this community event.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at agraham@cityofmadison.com. For this Coffee with a Cop we will have guest speakers presenting on the RAVE Emergency Alert System in Dane County.”

Meetings

  • Milwaukee Street/I-94 Potential Interchange Neighborhood Meeting, Thursday June 1st at 6pm, Steamfitters Local 601, Town Center Drive. I will be there and will to listen and participate.

Announcements

Events

  • East Side Farmers' Market, Tuesday, May 30, 2023: The Eastside Farmers' Market is Madison Wisconsin’s finest weekday farmers' market. Our goal is to bring the freshest Wisconsin grown food direct to the heart of the East side. Our vendor members are agricultural producers and food artisans who make value added products from Wisconsin's agricultural bounty.
  • Public Health’s Violence Prevention Unit is hosting a virtual session on Restorative Justice. The session takes place on Wednesday, May 31st from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. The virtual session is free but registration is required: https://bit.ly/vp_webinar10. The session will be recorded and made available on Public Health’s Violence Prevention Unit webpage.
  • The Capitol View Farmers’ Market, Wednesday, May 31, 2023: The Capitol View Farmers Market is returning to the North Star Neighborhood! Join us each Wednesday (May 31-October 11, 2023) from 3:00-7:00pm to support local farmers and vendors, enjoy live music and food carts, and make the most of summer in Madison!
  • Pride Ride, Saturday, June 3, 2023: "Let’s ride for Pride": Trek and Forward Madison FC are teaming up once again to celebrate Pride Month and Bike Week with the 2023 Pride Ride! Meet us at Breese Stevens Field where we’ll head out on a 9-mile no-drop group ride to Olin Park and back. Stick around after the ride to enjoy some block party vibes at the field before Forward Madison takes on the Central Valley Fuego later that evening.
Tags: Transportation, Madison Parks, Planning, Holiday Schedule, Madison Metro, MPD, Coffee with a Cop

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