Street sweeping at night, neighborhood meeting March 10, Metro redesign meeting March 22, University Ave reconstruction updates

Hello neighbors,

Please be advised that street sweepers will be out at night performing sweeping operations to clear the streets of sand during this warm stretch. There are sometimes complaints about the noise – please know this noise is minimal and brief, and results in improved health of our lakes and wetlands.

At the request of the Sunset Village Community Association, we have planned a second neighborhood meeting regarding the proposed redevelopment at the shuttered Kwik Trip/Stop-n-Go on Speedway. The meeting will be held Thursday, March 10 at 7pm IN PERSON at the Sequoya library. The developer and architect will present the plans again, and take additional questions. The proposal will go before the Plan Commission on March 21 at 5:30pm.

The Metro Transit Redesign Team will host a meeting for our District (5), along with Districts 10 & 11 on Tuesday, March 22 at 6pm.

I highly encourage everyone to subscribe to City updates for the reconstruction of University Avenue. City staff will regularly share updates, road closures (planned for weekends), and project status. The project is scheduled to begin later this spring.

The Madison Police & Fire Commission is seeking public feedback on the Fire Chief selection process. Public input is welcome either at the regularly scheduled meetings of the Police and Fire Commission or via email to pfc@cityofmadison.com. The meeting on March 14 at 5:30pm will be the final opportunity to speak to the commission before it makes a decision. 

March is Women’s Herstory Month, and Madison is starting the celebrations with Women in Construction week.

Madison’s Poet Laureate, Angela Trudell Vasquez, will serve as Madison Public Library’s Poet-in-Residence March – May. During the residency, Vasquez will provide workshops catering to different age groups, including adults, teens, and youth and families. These workshops go beyond just words in bringing poetry to life. At each workshop, Vasquez will pair up with an artist, dancer or nature educator to provide an interactive exploration that broadens the ways we experience poetry.

Speaking of poetry, I highly recommend listening to "I am waiting for a peace", read by poet Richard Vargas at our Common Council meeting last night (start at 9:40). It is apt for these difficult times we live in.

Be well,

Regina Vidaver