Another suggestion about the Cannonball crossing and the Capital City Trail
crossing of Seminole is for flashing caution lights.  This suggestion has
been made to WisDOT/Strand Associates by the Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood
Association in connection with the Verona Road/West Beltline reconstruction
project.  Traffic is expected to increase by 350-450 vehicles on Seminole
Highway during the peak hours while Verona Road construction occurs.  I¹m
sure traffic will be heavier than it is now during non-peak hours although
WisDOT hasn¹t put out any numbers for non-peak times.  That will be for a
3-year period of construction, starting in 2014,

The Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood supports having a traffic island at the
Cannonball Path crossing of Seminole for the same reasons that Steve Arnold
mentions.  It would be great to have a few bicyclists come to these meetings
and speak for the traffic island.

Mary Mullen
Dunn¹s Marsh Neighborhood Association Communications


On 8/27/12 4:50 PM, "Steve Arnold" <[email protected]> wrote:

> 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/CannonballPat
> h.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.)

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