Madison, WI Header
File #: 45350    Version: Name: SUBSTITUTE Alternative of Converting Stoughton Road (Highway 51) to an Urban Boulevard Within the Madison City Limits.
Type: Resolution Status: Passed
File created: 12/5/2016 In control: PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE/MOTOR VEHICLE COMMISSION (ended 6/2018)
On agenda: 12/6/2016 Final action: 3/21/2017
Enactment date: 3/23/2017 Enactment #: RES-17-00287
Title: SUBSTITUTE - Stating the City of Madison’s locally preferred alternative of preference for converting Stoughton Road (Highway 51) to an urban boulevard within the Madison city limits and asking the State to study this option.
Sponsors: Tim Gruber, David Ahrens, Marsha A. Rummel
Attachments: 1. Staff Report for PBMVC1.24.17ITEME.4..pdf, 2. Memo of Staff Report Stoughton Rd cross-section item.pdf, 3. Resolution 45350 v. 1.pdf
Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution has no fiscal impact.

Title
SUBSTITUTE - Stating the City of Madison’s locally preferred alternative of preference for converting Stoughton Road (Highway 51) to an urban boulevard within the Madison city limits and asking the State to study this option.
Body
WHEREAS, Stoughton Road (Highway 51) is an important travel route for City of Madison residents as well as regional travelers that runs through the east side of Madison; and,

WHEREAS, 25,000 City of Madison residents live in the vicinity of Stoughton Road; and,

WHEREAS, other cities have torn down urban freeways with positive social and economic benefits including revitalized neighborhoods and new development along the routes; and,

WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is planning to convert Stoughton Road (Highway 51) into a limited access, grade separated freeway; and,

WHEREAS, there are neighborhoods and businesses on both sides of Stoughton Road that will be better connected with a urban boulevard between them and will be adversely effected by having a freeway between them; and,

WHEREAS, Stoughton Road has a similar amount of traffic to East Washington Ave (Highway 151) and University Ave (which becomes highway 14), two urban boulevards that function well within the City of Madison; and,

WHEREAS, urban boulevards can be used by bicyclists and pedestrians while freeways cannot; and,

WHEREAS, freeways are a barrier to crossing for bicyclists and pedestrians; and,

WHEREAS, urban boulevards allow for a connected grid of streets while freeways disrupt this grid; and,

WHEREAS, urban boulevards are inherently safer because of slower speeds and avoid deadly crashes on urban freeways that can be caused by high speeds and by the inability to go from highway speeds to stopping in heavy traffic that is common in Madison; and,

WHEREAS, urban boulevards function better for shorter trips taken within the City that involve turning motions, while fre...

Click here for full text