Info on traffic light timing; Water main flushing starts this week; Voting updates; Events & Announcements

Hello neighbors,

It’s been wonderful to connect with so many of you over the last several weeks. During my outreach, I’ve gotten some amazing questions! One resident asked about the connection between the timing of traffic lights to our carbon emission reduction goals, so I relayed the question to our incredible city staff. The response from our Traffic Engineering Director, Dr. Yang Tao, was so informative, I wanted to share it with you:

In general, fewer vehicle stops do mean less emissions, and we aim to provide a smooth progression (as best as possible given constraints) for traffic. And, generally speaking, our traffic signal management practice is quite well respected in the nation due to the great work of our talented staff. A recent independent study from the National Institute for Congestion Reduction (performed by the Texas Transportation Institute [TTI], one of the most influential transportation research institutes in the country), scored our traffic signals the 4th best among comparable sized cities and 22nd out of the 101 urban areas evaluated. The average delay at traffic signals in Madison was 13 seconds, and only three other comparable cites had shorter delays. Here are the links to the TTI report(opens in a new window)(link is external) and a WSJ article(link is external) on this if you are interested in reading more. I also want to point out that we have achieved this for our traffic signal timing with also being a leader in providing safe and convenient accommodations for other users such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit.

Thank you for helping me learn more about your interests and the great work our city is doing, and for the opportunity to share it with you.

Locally important updates

Please note that water flushing will begin on Monday March 24 east of Franklin Street between University Avenue and the SW Commuter Trail.

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 25, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include a briefing on State Legislature Affairs from the Government Affairs Team.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda(opens in a new window)
  • 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

• How to Get Your Brush Collected in 2025: Brush collection for 2025 will start soon. Here’s what you need to do so Streets Division crews can collect the brush you made.
• Update: Street Closure - East Wilson Street April 2 to mid-June: Starting Tuesday, April 2, East Wilson Street will be fully closed between S Pinckney Street and King Street for the continuation of the East Wilson Street reconstruction project.
• Update: Street Closure - 100 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard at Doty Street: Starting Wednesday, April 2, R.G Huston will close the 100 block of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd at Doty Street to repair concrete pavement within the intersection.  The street will reopen the following Wednesday, April 9.
• How to Track Your Absentee Ballot: The City of Madison Clerk's Office has issued absentee ballots to 33,579 voters for the April 1 election. So far, 13,535 have been returned to be counted. More than 6,500 voters have cast ballots via in-person absentee voting.
• In-Person Absentee Voting Has Begun: In-person absentee voting for the April 1 election is available until March 30.
• Madison Arts Commission Seeks Artist for Landscape Mural at New Public Market: The City of Madison and the Madison Arts Commission are looking for an artist to design a vibrant native landscape mural for the highly-anticipated Madison Public Market.
• Local Museums and Libraries Rally Support for the Institute of Museum and Library Services after Recent Executive Order: President Trump issued an executive order Friday night that would gut the only federal agency dedicated to supporting American museums and libraries. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is a government agency that provides critical funding to museums and libraries in all 50 states.
• TetraPAKMAN’s 'Wake Up!' Art Installation Brings Data into Focus on the Windows of Madison Public Library's Central Library: The windows of Central Library will display the next iteration of Wake Up!, an ongoing project by current Bubbler artist-in-residence, TetraPAKMAN. The large-scale art exhibition was installed on the first and second floor windows of Central Library facing Fairchild, Henry and Mifflin Streets on Saturday, March 15 and will remain in place through Tuesday, April 22nd to coincide with Earth Day.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, in partnership with Madison Area Builders Association, is continuing the NextGen Builders: Residential Skills Academy(link is external)! This free program is open to young adults ages 16-24 who are eager to gain valuable construction experience and job placement support. Participants will receive industry-recognized certifications, including the HBI PACT Curriculum, OSHA-10, and First Aid/CPR certification. Training will also cover tools and materials handling, financial literacy, social-emotional learning, and mental health support. Academic assistance is available for those seeking a GED/HSED or re-entry into high school, and free transportation is provided.
• Check out the most recent update(link is external) from the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC), including information on Heritage Oak seedlings, Starkweather Creek updates, and more.
• The City of Madison is working with the Wisconsin Bike Fed and the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) to create a citywide Safe Routes to School Plan. Please share your perspective on how to make rolling, strolling, and biking to and from schools in Madison easy, safe, and convenient via this survey(link is external).

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

• Community forums(link is external) for the finalists for President of Madison College begin on Monday, March 24 at 5:15pm.
• Hospitalized Absentee Voting Begins Tuesday, March 25: Voters who are hospitalized may appoint an agent(opens in a new window)to pick up their absentee ballot from the City Clerk's Office.
• Craft with Kids, Wednesday, March 26 (this event occurs on multiple dates): Be a part of this fun and rewarding intergenerational program. Once a month make crafts and have fun with a local preschool class! All you have to do is show up. If interested, please submit a volunteer application.
• Community Dinner, Sunday, March 30: Join Madison Parks at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center for a free community dinner! This event is free and open to the public.

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

Take care,

Regina Vidaver