Fiscal Note
No City appropriation required.
Title
Opposing the Expansion of the Beltline (US 12/14/18/151) Within the City of Madison and Supporting Improved Multimodal and Local Connectivity Across and Along the Corridor (District 1, District 9, District 10, District 11, District 14, District 16, District 19, District 20)
Body
WHEREAS, the Beltline (US 12/14/18/151) is a critical regional transportation facility that also functions as a significant barrier within the City of Madison, dividing neighborhoods and limiting safe, convenient connections for people walking, biking, using transit and driving on local streets; and
WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has completed a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study for the Beltline that recommends further consideration of corridor expansion, including the addition of general purpose travel lanes, interchange expansions, and weave configurations within the City of Madison; and
WHEREAS, the City of Madison has adopted policies and plans-including the Comprehensive Plan, Area Plans, Vision Zero Action Plan, Complete Green Streets policy, and Climate and Sustainability Plan-that prioritize safety, climate action, equity, multimodal transportation, and compact, efficient land use over roadway widening and auto-oriented expansion; and
WHEREAS, decades of transportation research demonstrate that adding general purpose travel lanes and expanding interchanges induces additional driving, increases vehicle miles traveled, encourages sprawl, increases traffic fatalities, and ultimately fails to provide long-term congestion relief while undermining local land use, safety, and climate goals; and
WHEREAS, expansion of the Beltline within the City of Madison would increase greenhouse gas emissions, funnel more traffic onto neighborhood streets, and exacerbate noise, air quality, and negative safety impacts on nearby neighborhoods, including historically underserved communities; and
WHEREAS, the continued growth and prosperity of Madison in the more than half a century since the decision was made not to build any freeways on the Isthmus shows that highway expansion is not necessary for the success of the city; and
WHEREAS, expansion of the Beltline and implementation of proposed weave configurations would result in significant property impacts, including the acquisition of private property, displacement or relocation of dozens of homes and businesses, short- and long-term disruptions to local business access and operations, and lasting economic and community impacts on surrounding neighborhoods and property tax revenue; and
WHEREAS, past Beltline projects, including the Verona Road interchange, have had significant negative effects on businesses during construction;
WHEREAS, the City of Madison supports transportation investments that improve local and regional connectivity without inducing additional traffic, including enhanced local street connections, transit priority, and safe, direct bicycle and pedestrian crossings across and around the Beltline; and
WHEREAS, due to gaps in the street network created by its initial construction, the Beltline is often serving local traffic;
WHEREAS, improved multimodal crossings-such as new or enhanced pedestrian and bicycle bridges, underpasses, and street connections-can reconnect neighborhoods, support economic vitality, improve access to jobs and services, keep local trips on the local road network, and advance the City’s Vision Zero and equity goals without expanding highway capacity; and
WHEREAS, focusing on targeted safety improvements, operational strategies, and multimodal connectivity supports sustainable transportation outcomes, improves access and safety for all users, and preserves neighborhood quality of life throughout the City of Madison and the greater region; and
WHEREAS, public sentiment has leaned heavily opposed to Beltline expansion proposals.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Madison oppose further consideration of expanding the Beltline (US 12/14/18/151) within the City of Madison, including the further study, design, and implementation of addition of general purpose travel lanes, roadway widening to accommodate flex lanes; expansion of interchanges that increase capacity or induce additional vehicle travel; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City opposes implementation of any weave configurations that would result in any residential or commercial displacements or create any new overpass structures that have visual or noise impacts on neighborhoods; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City supports the further evaluation of transportation investments along the Beltline that prioritize safety, system performance, state of good repair, and sustainability without increasing general purpose capacity, including improvements to intersections to bring them up to modern multi-modal standards, repaving, and replacement of structurally inadequate bridges; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City strongly supports improved connectivity across and along the Beltline, including:
• New and enhanced local street connections;
• Safe, direct, and accessible bicycle and pedestrian crossings;
• Paths parallel to the Beltline; and
• Multimodal designs that reduce barriers between neighborhoods and destinations;
and wishes to continue to work productively with WisDOT to understand where these connections are feasible with minimal impacts on property and existing circulation, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the PEL process is designed to eliminate alternatives that do not meet the project goals, and there is no need to go through the NEPA process for alternatives that are not supported by the community.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that City staff are directed to continue engaging with WisDOT staff to support solutions that avoid the repercussions of induced demand and advance safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation outcomes for the City of Madison and the greater region.