Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
SUBSTITUTE Amending Sections 12.915(8)(a) and 1.08(3)(a) of the Madison General Ordinances to limit late-night traffic on State Street to vehicles licensed with the City and establish a bail deposit for violation thereof.
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DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: Under Wis. Stat. § 66.0905, the City has broad authority to regulate traffic on the State Street Mall. Sec. 12.915 has numerous rules about vehicles on State Street, and sub (8) governs taxis and other public passenger vehicles.
Between 4:00 am and 10:00 pm, taxis and other public passenger vehicles may access the Mall only for a single block to pick up a fare. That rule will remain unchanged. From 10:00 pm to 4:00 am, wider use of the Mall is allowed for public passenger vehicles to cruise to pick up fares. Since the advent of Uber and other transportation network companies, this has led to serious problems during the late night window, with many cars on State Street, increased congestion, and difficulty differentiating between personal cars and those validly on the street to pick up fares.
This amendment limits the ability of public passenger vehicles to be on State Street, between 10 pm and 4 am, to taxis and other public passenger vehicles licensed by the City. This will exclude Uber and Lyft drivers during these hours, so that those operating on the Mall can be clearly identified by the taxi markings. Uber and Lyft will still have the ability to pick up rides on all the nearby streets during these hours.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Please see "Substitute Body" in Attachments.