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Approving Plans and Specifications and authorizing the Board of Public Works to advertise and receive bids for Contract No. 6035, University Research Park Path between Tocora Lane and Science Drive; also Accepting a Permanent Limited Easement for Pedestrian and Bicycle purposes and a Temporary Limited Easement for construction purposes from University Research Park, Inc. across Lot 4, University Research Park - University of Wisconsin, Madison property; also revising the “No Vehicular Access” restriction placed on the Plat of University Research Park - University of Wisconsin, Madison to say “No Vehicular Access by Motorized Vehicles. (20th AD)
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Currently the west end of Tocora Lane is a dead end at the property line of University Research Park with no provisions for pedestrians or bicyclists to access the park and there is no bicycle or pedestrian access into the Research Park from the west for a distance of a half mile from Tokay Boulevard and Mineral Point Road. A bike / pedestrian access in this location is included in the PBMV Committee’s current list of recommended projects and in the recently-completed Westmorland - Midvale Heights Neighborhood Plan.
On April 16, 2009 the University Research Park Design Review Board agreed to accept the path if the City approves its construction. The Research Park has agreed to provide the necessary easements for the path at no cost to the City.
At the time the University Research Park was platted, the City required that the plat indicate “No Vehicular Access” to the Park from the end of Tocora Lane. Staff understands that this was intended to refer to motor vehicles and therefore prevent any future westward extension of Tocora Lane. However, since that time State Statutes have been revised to define bicycles as “vehicles”. Therefore, creation of a bike path in this location requires clarification of the plat restriction to allow bicycle access while continuing to prevent motor vehicle access.
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