Week of March 23 Updates
postedCommunity Transportation Academy
1000 Friends of Wisconsin is hosting a Community Transportation Academy which is designed to help bridge the gap between community advocates and transportation planning entities. The deadline to sign up is tomorrow so act fast!
Downtown Plan March Madness Bracket
The City of Madison Planning Division is bringing "Madison Madness" back as part of its efforts to collect community priorities and feedback for the Downtown Area Plan.
How the Bracket Works
Each "team" in the bracket represents a component of what the future of the city could be. The bracket's four "regions" represent a different area of focus: Reasons to be Downtown, Ways to Get Around, Downtown Living and Working, and Open Spaces and Recreation Opportunities. Each "region" is broken down into eight different aspects of those categories. There are 32 items in the bracket overall.
The survey will take you through each "matchup" individually. In each matchup, you'll choose what the higher priority is for you. The survey will keep presenting you with matchups as you work your way through the bracket until you have your "champion" — the biggest priority you'd like to see addressed.
The survey will be open until April 6, 2026. A results summary will be posted publicly on the Downtown Area Plan webpage after City staff compiles the data.
While the activity ends with your top priority, it's important to note there will be no "winner" declared in the final results. Each aspect included in the bracket is important and will be included in future plans, and nothing will be de-prioritized based on the results of the survey. Results of this survey will be added to the collection of feedback staff will collect through the rest of the Downtown Area Plan and Envision Downtown Madison processes.
Last year, the Planning Division used "Madison Madness" as part of the Southwest and Southeast Area Plans, generating nearly 1,400 responses, and helping City planners get a better idea of the spectrum of priorities among residents. The insights gained from the popular activity factored into recommended actions in both plans.
For more information, visit the Downtown Area Plan webpage or reach out to downtownplan@cityofmadison.com
Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of March 23, 2026
Updates and Notices
- Brush Collection Begins Soon! When does brush pickup start for your neighborhood? You should check before you pile out your sticks and branches. Get the set-out dates on the brush collection website.
- Yard Waste Collection Begins Soon, Too! We didn't forget about spring yard waste pickup. When are the dates for your home? You better check online before you pile out the bags of leaves or weeds! You don't want to be late or early.
Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings
Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.
Common Council
The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include extending the life of Tax Increment District #41 for one year for the purposes of the creation of affordable housing and improving City housing stock in the City of Madison
Housing Policy Committee
The Housing Policy Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, March 26, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include an overview of the 2025 Housing Snapshot Report.
If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.
Public Information Meetings (PIMs)
- MPD Presentation: Demonstrations and assemblies, Tuesday, March 24: The Madison Police Department is hosting a presentation on a person's rights during assemblies and demonstrations. Part of these presentations will cover the ever-evolving Madison Method, which is our department's nationally recognized philosophy for policing large events, crowds and protests.
- Resurfacing Program 2026, Wednesday, March 25: The Annual Street Resurfacing Program is designed to improve the quality of your street and delay the need for total reconstruction. The City Engineering Division rates streets and curb & gutter every two years. A public information meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., March 25, 2026, via Zoom. Registration is required.
Announcements and News Releases
- Madison Community Transportation Academy, register by March 24: If you have ever wondered WHY our transportation system works the way it does or thought, there must be a better way, we encourage you to sign up for the Madison Community Transportation Academy. This free 10-week course is offered by 1000 Friends of Wisconsin to help bridge the gap between community members and decision-makers in transportation planning and provides participants with skills and knowledge to advocate for safe and accessible transportation solutions that work for everyone.
- Register Now for the Spring Roll Challenge: The RoundTrip Spring Roll Challenge takes place every April in honor of Earth Month. This fun, free initiative encourages people who live and work in Dane County to swap solo drives for biking, riding the bus, walking, rolling, and carpooling more often—and celebrates those already choosing sustainable transportation year-round
- Madison Madness Returns for Downtown Area Plan: The City of Madison Planning Division is bringing "Madison Madness" back as part of its efforts to collect community priorities and feedback for the Downtown Area Plan. [posted March 19, 2026]
- Secure Drop Boxes Are Now Open: Madison's secure ballot drop boxes are now open for the April 7 election. [posted March 17, 2026]
- Temporary Street Closure on Westbound North Shore Drive: Starting Monday, March 23, westbound North Shore Drive will close between John Nolen Drive and Bedford Street for reconstruction work as part of the John Nolen Drive reconstruction project. During this closure, no turns will be permitted from John… [posted March 17, 2026]
- A New Version of LINKcat Will Go Live on April 17: LINKcat will be offline April 12-16 as new features are added and others are changed during a software migration. The new version of LINKcat will go live on Friday, April 17. [posted March 17, 2026]
- MPD to host free spring break book fair for families on Monday, March 23: Madison, Wis. — The Madison Police Department's Community Outreach and Resource Education (CORE) team is inviting families and community members to attend a free book fair during spring break. The event is open to people of all ages and is designed… [posted March 16, 2026]
Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.
Events
- 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, Thursday, March 26: 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament for middle and high school students is offered in partnership with the Circle of Friends.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, March 28: Learn about Maple Syruping ~ Join Naturalist Stephanie Briand for a free, fun and family friendly hike to learn how sap rises in trees with cool nights and warmer days and the history and science of maple syruping.
- Late Night Open Gym, Saturday, March 28: Basketball event for anyone 16 years old and up. Late Night Open Gym is offered in partnership with Public Health Madison & Dane County Violence Prevention Unit and the Circle of Friends.
Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.
