Week of August 10 Updates - Vote, Upcoming Downtown Plan Meeting

Vote

Tomorrow is election day! If you aren't sure what's on your ballot you can check here.

Downtown Pedestrian Safety Meeting

On Tuesday, August 25 from 6PM-8PM at the Madison Municipal Building (Room 215), I will be hosting a meeting to talk about traffic and pedestrian safety. Transportation Director Christof Spieler and Dan McAuliffe from the Planning Division will be joining to also help answer questions. I hope to see you there!

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of August 10, 2026  

Updates and Notices 

• Brush Collecting Ending Soon: Believe it or not, fall is around the corner.  And that means the Streets Division's collection of sticks, branches, and tree limbs is coming to an end soon.  Get the date when you should put your brush out for pickup by going to our brush collection website. 

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. 

Transportation Commission

The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 12, at 5:00 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing a contract for planning and engineering services related to intersection safety improvements. 

• Meeting Details 
• Meeting Agenda 
• Register for Public Comment 
• Watch Online 

Board of Park Commissioners

The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 12, at 6:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing the use of up to $125,000 in federal CDBG grant funds to support the construction of a shelter at Sandburg Park. 

• Meeting Details 
• Meeting Agenda 
• Register for Public Comment 
• Watch Online 

If you would like more information about becoming a member of the City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here. 

Announcements and News Releases 

• Lane Closure for Bridge Repair – W Badger Road: On Tuesday, August 11th at 7:00am, Zenith Tech will close a lane on W Badger Road in order to conduct repairs on the roadway bridge over the railroad. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times on W Badger Road with the use of a temporary… [posted August 7, 2026] 
• N Sherman Avenue Closure for Railroad Crossing Replacement: Beginning at 5:00 am on Monday, August 17, Wisconsin and Southern Railroad will close N Sherman Avenue just north of Oxford Place to replace the railroad crossing. The closure is expected to last approximately 14 days, with the roadway scheduled to… [posted August 7, 2026] 
• Aug. 6 update from Chief Patterson: I continue to check in with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) daily. As of Thursday night, there is no new information to share. I will keep doing these daily check-ins and share anything I am able with our… [posted August 7, 2026] 
• Temporary Milwaukee Street Closure - August 10 and August 12 On Monday, August 10 and Wednesday, August 12, between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, Milwaukee Street between Fair Oaks Avenue and Walter Street will be closed to through traffic by Integrity Grading and Excavation for utility installation for a private… [posted August 6, 2026] 
• Road Closure – Pleasant View Road: Starting on Monday, August 10 at 6:00 pm, Parisi Construction will close a section of Pleasant View Road overnight, from Mansion Hill Drive to Junction Road, to continue progress on the Hill Valley project. This closure is expected to last 12 hours… [posted August 5, 2026] 
• News Conference with Mayor Rhodes-Conway and City Officials: The City of Madison has also published a FAQ page to address common inquiries that have been received from the public. [posted August 5, 2026] 
• Update: Collecting Belongings at Demetral Park: Those wishing to retrieve personal belongings that were collected at Williamson and Baldwin Streets can do so at the parking lot of Demetral Park. [posted August 4, 2026] 
• Ride the Drive Canceled: "After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year's Ride the Drive scheduled for Sunday, August 9. We know many community members were looking forward to the event and we share this disappointment…" [posted August 4, 2026] 
• Statement on the Ongoing Investigation into the Police Killing of Corey Ruiz on July 22, 2026: The Office of the Independent Police Monitor has released an official statement and FAQ page on the ongoing investigation of the officer-involved shooting of Corey Ruiz. Evidence related to the killing of Corey Ruiz was requested from MPD and denied… [posted August 4, 2026] 
• Video Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway: This morning, the City of Madison opened the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin. Our goal was to clear the barricades, preserve personal belongings and memorial materials, and open the street up to normal traffic. [posted August 4, 2026] 
• Williamson Street has Reopened: The recent closure of Williamson Street and South Baldwin Street was reopened at 9:00am on Tuesday, August 4.  City barricades and signage have been removed from the area. Please be mindful of an increased pedestrian presence. [posted August 4, 2026] 
• Community Update from Mayor Rhodes-Conway (August 3) : Please join us in finding long-term solutions. That starts with removing the barricades, taking down the tents, and ending the occupation. [posted August 3, 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 

• New Men's Shelter Open House, Monday, August 10: The new Men's Shelter at 1904 Bartillon Drive will begin serving our community on September 1st. Before that transition occurs, the City wants to invite the public to see the facility. An Open House is scheduled for Monday, August 10, 2026, from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. 
• Goodman Pool 20th Anniversary Celebration, Friday, August 14: Join us as we celebrate 20 years of the Goodman Pool! We'll have music, games, prizes, food carts and fun! The first 500 people will receive a Goodman Pool yellow duck! Free leis while supplies last. 
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, August 15: Eken Parklands ~ Join Tara Daly and Friends of Starkweather Creek at the Eken Park Festival to learn about Starkweather Creek and the parks and natural areas right in the heart of east side Madison. 
• Adapted Swim, Saturday, August 15: Open to all individuals with disabilities and their caregivers and families. Pre-registration is not required. 
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Warner Park, Sunday, August 16: Nature Writing ~ Join Naturalist Lynn Persson for a free guided walk and fun writing activity. Bring a pen and paper and take time to stop along the way to contemplate things.  
• Summer Salsa Bash, Sunday, August 16: Join us for the inaugural Summer Salsa Bash, celebrating Latin dance in Madison! The Capitol Social and Monona Terrace are excited to partner to bring you a relaxed, fun-filled dance experience all while soaking in the beautiful views from the William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens at Monona Terrace. 

Parks Alive Dates! 

Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, music and free food. Events are held in parks across the city and throughout the summer. Connect with your neighbors and engage with your community at a Parks Alive event near you! Events start at 5:00 p.m. 

• Parks Alive | Allied Park, Monday, August 10 
• Parks Alive | Aldo Leopold Park,  Tuesday, August 11 
• Parks Alive | Warner Park (Trailsway), Wednesday, August 12 

Interested in volunteering for Parks Alive? Volunteers Welcome! Learn more and register online! 

Movie in the Park Dates! 

• Movie at The Glen | The Lego Movie, Sunday, August 16 

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.