
Updates on Midvale, Highland and University, and Franklin construction; Please clear walks of snow in a timely fashion; Lots of events, meetings, and announcements
postedHello neighbors,
Due to extensive community feedback, city staff have pushed back the Midvale Blvd resurfacing project to 2026, and will assess additional options for the configuration of the resurfaced street. I highly recommend subscribing to automatic updates for the project (scroll all the way down to the bottom of the webpage to input your email address). The project is now slated to come before the Transportation Commission this summer.
I also want to recommend subscribing to updates for the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District project that will close the on- and off-ramps for Campus Drive at Highland this summer. That project will have major implications for our District, so I want to ensure you remain informed. Construction is scheduled to begin on May 12.
Construction on Franklin and Lynn Terrace will also commence this spring. That is the second phase of the project that led to the amazing updates on Stevens Street in 2024. Again, you can scroll all the way to the bottom of the project page to sign up for email updates.
It looks like we might actually get some snow this week. Please be kind to your neighbors and be sure to clear your walk in a timely fashion. Remember that it is your responsibility to complete clearing by noon the day following the snowstorm, but if you wait that long, snow will likely get trodden and harder to remove. If you don’t remove the snow by the deadline, you are subject to citation. Also, please be kind to our lakes and use salt minimally. The sand that the city has placed in bins surrounding the city is optimally mixed to ensure safe walking routes without salt overuse.
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, February 11, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include changing the terms of Alder appointments to Boards, Commissions, and Committees.
- Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 12, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include adopting the Sauk Creek Corridor Plan.
If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.
Public Information Meetings (PIM’s)
- Public Input Meeting - Sandburg Park, Thursday, February 13: Madison Parks is replacing five existing playgrounds in 2025. On Dec. 5, a virtual playground workshop was held for all five playgrounds, including the playground in Sandburg Park, 2818 Independence Lane.
Announcements and News Releases
- The Community Voices for Crisis, Intervention, and Prevention Services is seeking community feedback on 2026 priorities. Please complete this survey by February 16 at 5pm. Your input is especially encouraged if you have received services from local social service agencies.
- Time to Vote on the Snowplow Names!: You have until February 24 at 8:00pm to submit your vote. Madison, you crushed the snowplow name suggestions.
- Recycle Your Whole Pizza Box - Even the Greasy Parts If you have City of Madison recycling at your home, you can now put the entire cardboard pizza box in the green recycling cart. Even if there are grease stains.
- Madison Public Library Invites the Community to Celebrate 150 Years of Library Service: Madison Public Library is celebrating 150 years of service in 2025 with programs, events, and activities designed to highlight the value of libraries as a cornerstone of the Madison community.
- Changes Coming to Local Rent Assistance Program: City and County government officials are alerting residents that changes are in store later this year for the Eviction Diversion and Defense Partnership (EDDP).
- The Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship program is open for applications! To be eligible for the Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship Program in 2025, youth must have a City of Madison address OR be enrolled in an MMSD school, and be, at minimum, 14 years of age. If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, or would like to receive future recruitment information, please contact Maggie Douglas or 608-535-1967.
- Youth Application
- Guardian Application (English)
- Guardian Application (Spanish)
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
- Hospitalized Absentee Voting Begins Today, Tuesday, February 11: This is the first day hospitalized voters may appoint an agent to pick up their absentee ballot from the City Clerk's Office for the February 18 Spring Primary.
- Sustain Dane is hosting an open house for homeowners to understand how to convert their homes to all electric appliances (including heating) on February 13, 4-5:30pm. Sign up to attend!
- Warner Family Fun Night, Friday, February 14: Join us at WPCRC for Warner Family Fun Night! Families can create art projects, play in the game room or the gym, watch a movie or win some prizes playing bingo!
- Groove & Glide, Friday, February 14: Make the most of winter at a Groove and Glide event! Experience the fun and beauty of ice skating under the lights with fun music and games. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Grab your friends, a date, or family, and have fun on the ice.
- Stop by on Winter Bike Day, Happening February 14 : Demonstrating that biking isn’t just a summer activity, even in snowy Wisconsin, the local bicycle advocacy group Madison Bikes is hosting a Winter Bike Day on Friday February 14.
- Monroe Street Library Events:
- February 15, Book Shmooze at 11 a.m. We'll talk books: what we've read lately, what books have stuck to our ribs, what's on the nightstand. You'll come away with new book suggestions and ideas.
- February 15, Seed packaging, 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Last year Madison Public Library gave away more than 45,000 seed packets. At Monroe Street we're gearing up for another seed distribution starting in early March. Can you help sort and package seeds?
- Read to a Dog Lili and a canine compatriot will return to Monroe Street Library on Wed., Feb. 19 from 3 - 4:30. They love hearing kids read to them, even books about cranky cats and other canine affronts. Reading aloud to a dog is a confidence booster for emerging readers.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Warner Park, Sunday, February 16: Tracks and Signs ~ Join Naturalist Kathlean Wolf for a free fun educational family friendly guided walk to explore the Wild Side of Warner Park. We'll look for the footprints, scat, and nests of our wild neighbors, and try to interpret the story of their lives during the coldest part of winter. We may have hot cocoa and a campfire with smores after the walk.
- Prioritizing Traffic Safety for All Road Users: D7 Virtual Lunch and Learn with Traffic Engineering: Alder Nasra Wehelie is excited to continue her Lunch and Learn session for this month, featuring Traffic Engineering on Thursday, February 20, from 12 to 1 p.m.
- There will be a public hearing on a proposal to modify the Greater Madison 2050 Regional Transportation Plan and 2025-2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) hearing on March 5 at 6:30pm on Zoom (to be posted here when agenda available). The proposed changes include:
- (1) add I-39/90/94 (Beltline Highway to North County Line) Capacity Expansion project to the Fiscally Constrained Plan;
- (2) add USH 51 (Stoughton Road North) (Milwaukee Street to I-39/90/94) Reconstruction Project to the Fiscally Constrained Plan and to the 2025-2029 TIP; and
- (3) revise the North-South BRT project already in the Fiscally Constrained Plan so that it reflects the adopted Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)
Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.
Best wishes,
Regina Vidaver