At meetings beginning at 6:30 the Fitchburg Finance Committee, and at
7:30 the Fitchburg Common Council, will consider a resolution to approve
the staff design of Fitchburg's portion of the Cannonball Path.
Staff has proposed, and the Transportation and Transit Commission has
recommended, widening of Seminole Highway where the Path crosses, and a
ten-foot wide safety island, so Path uses may cross Seminole Hwy one
lane at a time. This will be particularly important when Verona Road
construction starts next year, as considerable traffic will use Seminole
Hwy to avoid the construction.
Fitchburg's Board of Public Works has amended the design to remove the
safety island, citing cost and "safety" concerns. (One member said
safety islands make him feel less safe, I presume while driving.)
I will argue for the safety island, as recommended by staff. The
widening to accomodate the island will have a traffic calming effect,
which staff hopes to use to argue for a lower speed limit (e.g., 30 MPH
instead of the current 40 MPH) from the Madison limits through the
intersections of the Cannonball Path, Dawley Drive, and the Cap City
Trail. The lower speed limit will improve safety not only for
Cannonball users, but also for Cap City Trail users and cyclists on
Seminole Hwy.
The Dunns Marsh neighborhood Association supports the safety island.
The funding for the staff-proposed safety island has already been
approved by the Common Council in the capital improvement program.
Saving the money for the safety island is not a good tradeoff for the
safety of trail users. Citizens speaking at Council members can have a
powerful effect on the Council members. If you have an opinion on this
matter, please consider registering to speak in support. You can also
let your Alders know your opinion directly by e-mail. Our addresses are
at http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/government/commonCouncil/.
Background: The Path will follow the old Union Pacific right-of-way
from the Military Ridge Trail at McKee Road northwest to the "bicycle
interchange with the Capital City Trail, Southwest Path, and Badger
State Trail, along the Arboretum and Arbor Hills neighborhood, past
Leopold School, and finally cross the Beltline on its own overpass
between Kayser Ford and Culvers. It will be an awsome commuter route
from soutwest Dane County to the Fish Hatchery Road and Park Street
Corridors. The Beltline overpass and Fitchburg portions of the trail
will be built next year. Snow will be removed for winter commuting.
There is a map at
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/departments/cityHall/publicWorks/CannonballPath.php.
(Lighting: For those of you interested in whether the Path will be
lighted, c.f. Madison's Southwest Commuter Path, the Madison portion of
the Cannonball will be lighted. The Fitchburg portion will *not* be
lighted initially, but underground work for future lighting of the
Fitchburg portion has been recommended as a bid option, in case
favorable bids allow it to fit into the project budget.)
--
Steve Arnold, Fitchburg Alder, District 4, Seat 7
2530 Targhee Street, Fitchburg, Wisconsin 53711-5491
Telephone +1 608 278 7700 · Facsimile +1 608 278 7701
[email protected] · http://Arnold.US
Become a supporter: like http://facebook.com/ArnoldforAlder.
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