Frequently Asked Questions

The name change better reflects the work the team does today and the City's broader approach to how the city moves. The team's work extends beyond traditional traffic engineering to include walking, biking, prioritizing transit, traffic operations, safety, accessibility, technology, radio & fiber communications, and the movement of people and goods. Mobility & Infrastructure Division better captures this broader role and is more inclusive. It also helps affirm the current shift of the Division's work to a people centered approach. 

The name is changing, but the work of the division is continuing. The new name reflects the agency's shift from moving traffic to moving people in Madison and the range of services and responsibilities already provided by the team. 

No. Traffic engineering remains an important part of the division's work. The new name recognizes that safe and effective transportation requires more than moving vehicles—it also requires considering pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, accessibility, safety, and the overall transportation network. 

Yes. Staff will continue providing the technical expertise and services they provide today. The new name better represents the full scope of that work and will further encourage staff to take on a people centered approach in their daily work. 

No. Traffic engineering remains an important part of the City's transportation work. The organizational name is changing to better communicate the division's broader responsibilities and shift of its work to a people centered approach. 

Some webpages, email addresses, signs, forms, and other materials may be updated over time to reflect the new name. The City will provide information to the public about any changes to make it as seamless as possible. 

The Traffic Engineering name accurately describes an important part of the division's work. However, transportation has evolved, and the City's work increasingly considers the entire mobility system and how different transportation options interact. The new name is intended to better communicate that broader responsibility. 

Traffic Engineering does not do every job associated with a street. 

For example, Traffic Engineering does not: 

• Plow and salt Madison streets. 
• Repair potholes or maintain the City's street pavement. 
• Design and construct every street, sidewalk or bike path. 
• Operate Madison's bus service. 
• Manage the City's public parking system. 

Instead, we work closely with the City teams responsible for these services to make sure the different pieces of the transportation system work together. 

The Streets Division is responsible for snow and ice removal and determines how and when streets are plowed. 

Traffic Engineering supports that work by providing information and coordinating around transportation needs. For example, the City's snow-plowing strategy prioritizes major streets and connections, Metro Transit bus routes, and streets near schools, hospitals, police and fire stations.  

In short: Traffic Engineering helps manage how people move through the transportation system; Streets maintains and plows the street system. 

Not by itself. 

Traffic Engineering is involved in planning and designing transportation improvements, including geometric designs, pedestrian & bicycle facilities, roadway safety improvements, traffic signals, traffic control and other elements that affect how people use the transportation system. Engineering's Streets and Paths design section is responsible for the final design of streets, bike paths, and sidewalks, while other City teams oversee construction and maintenance.  

The divisions work together so that a transportation project considers both the physical infrastructure and how people will safely and efficiently use it. 

Safe and reliable transit depends on more than buses. 

Mobility and Infrastructure works with Metro Transit on things such as traffic signals, bus priority, street design, traffic control, construction impacts and other transportation infrastructure that affects transit operations. 

For example, when construction affects a bus route or stop, Traffic Engineering and Metro coordinate traffic control and operational needs. City construction specifications also require coordination with Metro when traffic-control plans will affect transit operations or stops.  

Parking is another part of Madison's transportation system. 

Parking Division manages the City's public parking system, including parking garages, lots, meters, permits and parking enforcement. Mobility & Infrastructure works with Parking on transportation operations, curb and street use, construction impacts, traffic control and other projects where parking and movement through the transportation system overlap.  

Because a street is more than pavement. 

A single street may need to accommodate buses, cars, bicycles, pedestrians, deliveries, emergency responders, parking, fiber, utilities, snow operations, and construction. 

No single division manages all of those pieces. The Mobility & Infrastructure Division works with other City agencies to coordinate the different parts of the transportation system and make decisions that account for how those pieces interact.