Madison council adopts revised golf-cart and low-speed vehicle rules, narrows Main Street access after lengthy debate

The City of Madison Common Council voted April 22 to amend and replace section 70.04 of the City of Madison code to update rules governing golf carts, low-speed vehicles and off-road vehicles.

The ordinance change, approved on second reading after extended public comment and council debate, keeps a city-level permitting and sticker requirement, expressly forbids ORVs from driving on city streets except with special Board of Public Works and Safety (BPW) approval for events, and includes a limited grandfathering clause that allows LSVs registered with the state before March 18, 2025, to register locally and operate in a portion of the corridor that had been proposed for wider access. Council also approved a technical amendment to clarify permitted crossings at several side streets to address residents' access concerns.

Why it matters: Council members, public safety staff and residents said the update attempts to balance resident access, tourism and downtown operations with public-safety concerns on the West End of Main Street, a corridor council and staff say is being redesigned with lighting, traffic calming and sidewalks. Opponents warned that allowing slower, lighter vehicles on a busy stretch of Main Street could increase crash risk until full infrastructure changes are complete.

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