A New Long-Range Transportation Plan for Madison, WI

Proposed long-range transportation plan for Madison emphasizes biking, walking, bus rapid transit.

1 minute read

January 10, 2017, 12:00 PM PST

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Madison Bike

Suzanne Tucker / Shutterstock

In one of their first actions of the year, Madison's Public Works Board recommended the adoption of a 30-year plan called 'Madison in Motion.' According to reporting from Lisa Speckhard in The Capital Times, "The plan outlines the strategies for all modes of transportation that will be necessary to accommodate the 100,000 new residents, 70,000 new jobs and increased numbers of commuters that the next 40 years are expected to bring."

In particular the plan offered suggestions to bolster the city’s biking and walking infrastructure. "Because some people might not be comfortable biking on a congested roadway like East Washington, the plan would create more alternatives such as off-street paths or curb-protected bike lanes like those on University Avenue at the UW-Madison campus," Speckhard writes. Among suggestions for walking infrastructure, "The plan recommends that new subdivisions install sidewalks on both sides of the street, as well as improving intersections through measures like raised crosswalks and flashing pedestrian crossing signals," Speckhard says.

Thursday, January 5, 2017 in The Capital Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

6 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

7 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

July 15 - Bloomberg