Bicycling

The Bicycle Transportation Plan for the Madison Urban Area and Dane County (2000) provides the planning and policy framework and serves as the guide for development of bicycle facilities and programs. The plan outlines a prioritized set of recommended on-street and off-street bicycle facility improvements. The bicycle way network (including paths and routes) plan was updated as part of preparation of the Regional Transportation Plan 2030. As part of this effort, a regional bicycle way network was also identified that provides longer distance connections through the Madison area and links communities and major  destinations throughout the county. The updated plan includes a list of high priority off-street bicycle projects that are part of this planned regional system.

While improvements are needed to fill some gaps, eliminate some barriers, and provide better connections between the City of Madison and the surrounding communities, the Madison Metropolitan Area already has an excellent bicycle facility network. This network includes 149 miles of streets with bicycle lanes or paved shoulders and 129 miles of off-street bicycle paths. The signed bicycle route system covers 149 miles. Countywide, there is a total of 182 miles of bicycle paths or trails, including the Military Ridge and Glacial Drumlin Trails. The map below shows existing major bicycle paths and  bicycle/pedestrian over- or underpasses in the Madison area and programmed projects with committed funding.

The City of Madison collects bicycle path traffic counts from 24-hour detection devices placed in paths at several street intersection locations and in the contra-flow bike lane on University Avenue at Mills Street. The table below shows average daily bicycle traffic at these locations. Bicycle traffic on most of these facilities has increased 50% or more over the past five years.  Bicycle traffic on the path east of North Shore Drive increased 32% in one year following completion of the final segment of the Southwest Path in 2006, connecting that path to the John Nolen Path via the Brittingham Park Path. A traffic detection device has not yet been installed for the Southwest Path, but it probably has the most traffic. The hourly traffic counts indicate that the paths, particularly the Capital City Trail (East Isthmus) path, have a large volume of commuter traffic with weekday usage peaking from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. on weekdays.