Week of September 8, 2025: Willy St Rush Hour Lanes, John Nolen Drive Reconstruction and Dairy Drive Updates

Willy Street Rush Hour Lanes Study

Beginning Tuesday, September 9 through Friday, October 24, the city will be running a trial of the removal of the rush hour lanes on Williamson Street, maintaining parking lanes on both sides of the street. During this trial, “Traffic Engineering staff will collect traffic data, including volumes, speeds, and travel time data.” More info can be found at the project website.

I want to thank the Marquette Neighborhood Association and particularly their Traffic & Safety Committee for getting this trial off the ground.

John Nolen Drive Reconstruction

Not quite in District 6 but surely affecting us residents will be the reconstruction of John Nolen Drive. This multi-year project will begin with Phase One in early-October, from E Lakeside St to S Broom St. There will be a public information meeting on Monday, September 22 at 6:30pm on Zoom. You can find out more information about the project and a link to register for the public meeting at that project website.

You’ll note that the Willy Street rush hour lanes study begins before John Nolen reconstruction begins but ends a few weeks later, which should give us some usable and interesting data on whether or not to make the rush hour lane changes permanent.

Dairy Drive Update

At the last Council meeting (9/2/25), we discussed and voted on the resolution that would have demolished the Dairy Drive encampment. Over 200 people registered in opposition to closing Dairy Drive. I offered an amendment (that passed) to approve plans and allow the city to advertise and solicit for bids, BUT to prevent any action at the site until the resolution I introduced at that meeting is discussed and voted on at our upcoming meeting (9/16/25). That resolution seeks to keep Dairy Drive open through April 2026 without additional city funding, if we can get enough support from the County.

I offered the amendment so that we could buy a little time to try to find a way to extend the Dairy Drive contract, but not cause delay if that effort is ultimately unsuccessful.

I cannot stress enough how complicated this issue is.

No one is looking to be cruel and put people back on the street. As always, it comes down to limited public dollars and how best to spend them to serve the most people. Dairy Drive is a unique facility helping a unique community. It was built and paid for until now with federal COVID relief funds that are nearly gone. It was always intended to be temporary and the shelters themselves have a limited lifetime.

We are trying to find money to a) keep it open and continue to provide services until after this winter ends and the permanent men's shelter opens and b) have money available to demolish this temporary facility and restore the site when it is finally closed.

The resolution to keep Dairy Drive open will be before the Finance Committee on Monday, September 8, the City-County Homelessness Issues Committee on Monday, September 15 and finally the Common Council on Tuesday, September 16.

I continue to work with my colleagues on the Common Council and the County Board to find a solution.

Updates and Notices

Yard Waste Collection Starts in October: Curious about when the fall leaf & yard waste pickup starts? You can get your set out dates from the website right now.  Go to the yard waste website to learn when you will be able to set out your leaves and other yard waste for the fall pickup.

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.

• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, September 8, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include the appointments of Lydia McComas for City Clerk and Jamie M. Acton for Transit General Manager, as well as a briefing on the Executive Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 9, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include the 2026 Executive Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Watch Online
• Board of Park Commissioners: The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 10, at 6:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include an informational presentation on the Parks Division Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

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

Announcements and News Releases

• Madison named a 2025 Climate Champion: The City of Madison is proud to be named twice as a 2025 Dane County Climate Champion. [posted September 5, 2025]
• Temporary closure for Tree Trimming - Milwaukee St: Starting at 9:00am on Monday, September 8, City of Madison Forestry will begin trimming terrace trees at 2838 Milwaukee Street for routine maintenance.  This work is expected to take 3 hours. [posted September 4, 2025]
• Final Chance for Curbside Brush Collection in 2025: The Streets Division’s final curbside brush collection will soon get underway. The last date when you should set out brush for pickup varies by neighborhood. For some, the last set-out date for brush for the year is Sunday, September 7, 2025. [posted September 3, 2025]
• 2026 Executive Capital Budget & Capital Improvement Plan: The City of Madison’s 2026 Capital Budget and five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) detail how we meet the basic needs of our residents and prepare for the future. [posted September 2, 2025]
• Committee Seeking Artists for State Street Campus Garage Public Art: The City of Madison and the Madison Arts Commission is looking for applicants for a public art project at the new State Street Campus Garage at 415 N. Lake Street. [posted September 2, 2025]

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

• Fall Home Maintenance by Project Home, Tuesday, September 9: Is your home ready for winter’s chill? Don’t wait until the first snowstorm to discover a leaky roof or a frozen pipe! This Fall Home Maintenance class will empower you to proactively prepare your home for the harsh winter months, saving you money and headaches down the road.
• Period Products 101, Tuesday, September 9: Public Health Madison & Dane County is partnering with Madison Public Library to host the third annual Period Party at Goodman South Madison Library in September! This year, the program is expanding from a single-day celebration to a multi-session series where youth and families can go in-depth to learn about menstruation, puberty, period products, and more.
• FREE Fall Fun - Aldo Leopold Park, Wednesday, September 10 (this event occurs on multiple dates): The Leopold Arbor Hills NRT invites residents to build skills in mountain biking, ultimate and disc golf, and social dance! Instructors will provide lessons to people of all ages.  Come learn some skills and enjoy a light dinner afterwards. Registration is encouraged to help instructors prepare lessons, but it’s not required.
• Cyclocross Practice Night, Wednesday, September 10: In partnership with CORP (Capital Off Road Pathfinders), we offer practice cyclocross courses in select parks for one designated evening in the late summer and early fall.
• Conservation Park Tour, Wednesday, September 10: Conservation Park Tours are educational staff-guided walks held at various conservation parks on the 2nd Wednesday, May - October. Topics vary and include highlights of the past, present and future of the land.
• FOOT-Loose Dances, Wednesday, September 10 (his event occurs on multiple dates): Join FOOT (Friends of Olin Turville) every Wednesday in September for two hours of dancing fun, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, inside the historic Olin Park pavilion.
• 14th annual 'Never Forget' Blood Drive, Thursday, September 11: Join the Madison Fire Department, Madison Police Department, and the American Red Cross for the 14th annual "Never Forget" community blood drive.
• Warner Family Fun Night, Friday, September 12: Join us at WPCRC for Warner Family Fun Night! Families can create art projects, watch a movie or win some prizes playing bingo!
• Live at The Glen | Wisconsin Gagok Ensemble, Friday, September 12: The term “gagok” translates directly to Art Song, a genre of Korean vocal music.  Since their founding in 2023, the Wisconsin Gagok Ensemble(link is external) has been dedicated to the promotion and performance of Korean Art Song in Wisconsin and beyond.  Soprano Youngjoo Hong, Mezzo Soprano Jessica Schwefel, and Pianist Susan Gaeddert curate programs of music by 20th and 21st century Korean Art Song composers.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, September 13: Explore Owen Conservation Park on gentle trails through historic oak openings on a hillside with an Ice Age kettle and along restored prairies with beautiful vistas on this high point overlooking the west side of Madison.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, September 14: Early Fall Migrants ~ Join enthused Bird Guides Melissa Kesling and Chuck Henrikson to have fun looking for tiny warblers in the trees, brightly patterned ducks and geese on the lake, and other fall migratory birds getting an early jump on their travel south for the winter.

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