<Cross posted from Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/groups/MBIIC/>>
Thanks for all those who contacted Board of Public Works members about the proposed Capitol Square reconstruction plans. City Engineering staff did present a north side contraflow bike lane concept at the meeting. You can see that concept here <https://madison.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4285408&GUID=3F75C733-DB5D-44B9-808C-0340B575DDED> attached to the letter from City Engineer Phillips and City Traffic Engineer Dryer. The concept essentially involved painting a green bike "lane" on the sidewalk along Mifflin Street, weaving behind the existing transit shelters. This would have eliminated most or all outdoor seating along these blocks, would have required removing or moving the recently installed granite planters and would have also required the elimination of 12 trees from the terrace. Ultimately, the Board moved forward with the original south side configuration (minus the actual contraflow lane which the State rejected). I've attached some additional thoughts that I shared with the Board following this decision for anyone interested here <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4RtNErivWC-RjM5YkRQNkFYUExhUFBnOWY0UlhWR0RQTWJn/view?usp=docslist_api> . One small glimmer of hope was in the form of a short announcement from city Planning Division regarding a planning effort that will be take place over the next several years focused on the Capitol Square and State Street. One of the key elements of that planning exercise will be a feasibility study of moving Metro routes off of the Square and State Street. If that ultimately moves forward, it could open up options for reconsideration of a north side contraflow lane in the future. Grant On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 7:14 AM Grant Foster <[email protected]> wrote: > Board of Public Works > <https://madison.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=414031&GUID=3F97DBBD-08C7-4289-9CCA-1BB3A2312912> > meets today at 4:30 pm to consider an updated plan for Mifflin Street > reconstruction around the square that does not include a bike contraflow > lane. > > > The plan as currently proposed moves forward with a concept based on an > earlier plan that included a contraflow bike lane sandwiched in between the > unrestricted travel lane and the curbside parking lane. This plan was > rejected by the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board. The updated > plan stops short of putting in the contraflow paint markings, but aligns > the joints for this to happen at some hoped for point in the future. > > I don't think that this was a strong concept to begin with and don't > believe it wise to tie the destiny of a contraflow lane on Mifflin to the > State's reconsideration of the rejection at some point down the road. > > Instead, I believe we should be pursuing a north side contraflow concept > and take control of our own destiny. I believe a north side concept is very > viable and that it was removed prematurely from consideration. If you > really think there needs to be a contraflow lane on Mifflin, a north side > option is the only option we can install without the State's approval. If > we don't install a contraflow lane with this reconstruction, there is a > good chance that we will not have one for another 20-30 years. > > If you have opinions or ideas on the matter you should consider attending > today's meeting or sending your comments to the members > <https://madison.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=17457&GUID=66803853-9E90-4E3E-8BE6-2B726B8F77F5&Search=>of > the Board of Public Works. > > Here > <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4RtNErivWC-YUtRSjJZVjNCTUE/view?usp=sharing>'s > what I shared. > > Grant >
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