Bikers on John Nolen for Ride the Drive.
City of Madison

Community Leaders & Disability Rights Advocates Unite for the ‘Week Without Driving’

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Today marks the beginning of the Week Without Driving, a nationwide challenge that encourages everyone—especially community leaders and decision-makers—to experience life without driving for a week, a day, or even just a trip. 

To kick off the Week, elected officials and disability rights advocates from across Dane County joined together for a group bus ride in downtown Madison.

Community leaders and representatives ride a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus together

The event highlighted the barriers faced by the 30–40% of Dane County residents who don’t drive, including people with disabilities, older adults, children, students, and people who cannot afford the high cost of owning a vehicle.

Communities and agencies joining the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization in recognizing this year’s challenge include Fitchburg, Madison, Middleton, Monona, Sun Prairie, Verona, and the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC). Partners helping spread the word include AARP Wisconsin, Bike Fitchburg, Madison Bikes, the Wisconsin Bike Fed, the Dane Alliance for Rational Transportation, and the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired.

Local officials are also signing on to the challenge. City of Middleton Alder Lisa Janairo is among the many taking part.

As a member of Middleton’s Common Council, I know how important it is for elected officials to participate in this campaign because we’re the ones who decide what transportation will look like in our communities. So walking or riding a bike or taking the bus during Week Without Driving really is the best way for us to see firsthand what our nondriving residents experience every single day.

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Lisa Janairo, City of Middleton Alder 

Denise Jess, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired, encouraged nondrivers to share their stories.

 Our stories have value. They have substance. They have lived experience that can guide our policymakers to make the best decisions possible.

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Denise Jess

The Week Without Driving runs Monday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Oct. 5. Community members can sign up to participate and are invited to take part in a series of Community Discussion event focused on transportation accessibility and equity happening throughout the Week.

For more information on events and the initiative, visit the MPO's 2025 Week Without Driving webpage. 

About the Greater Madison MPO: The MPO leads a cooperative, comprehensive regional transportation planning and decision-making process for the greater Madison area and allocates millions of dollars of federal funding to local transportation projects.

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