Streets & Paths
The Engineering Division Streets and Paths Design section designs all streets, bike paths and sidewalks in the City of Madison.
The work of this section ensures continued safe and reliable transportation infrastructure. Our design section is different from the City’s Transportation Department (which includes Traffic Engineering, Parking Utility, Metro Transit). This section of Engineering is also different than the Streets Division, which is in charge of maintaining the City's street system.
This section is responsible for the following:
- Street, bike path, bridge, sidewalk design
- Tracks condition of streets, sidewalks, roadway bridges, pedestrian/bike paths, pedestrian/bike overpasses, underpasses, railroad crossings
- Repairs streets, sidewalks, bike paths, bridges
- Reviews private development related to right of way
- Reviews design-required improvements of right of way
- Provides overall coordination for most transportation projects
- Makes responsible, efficient use of public funds for projects
- Positions the City as a leader in creating bicycle, pedestrian-friendly solutions to improve safety
- Tests permeable pavement, sidewalks
- Installs structural terraces to support uncompact soil for maximum tree root growth
- Installs bicycle facilities to promote healthy alternatives for transportation
- Recycles pavement
- Provides aesthetic improvement to bridges
- Adopt-a-Median Program
- Median Landscaping Program
- Chip sealing process where we recycle materials, and it’s scheduled preventative maintenance to hold off expensive reconstruction
- Safe Routes Grant Program, started in 2016 to increase sidewalk use and pedestrian activity in neighborhoods
- Pervious Pavement Testing Facility
Streets and Paths Design Fast Facts
- 3,184 streets in the City
- 3 permeable pavement streets
- 808 miles of streets (1,796 lane miles)
- 75 miles of bike paths
- 1,193 miles of sidewalk