Madison board approves street and parking closures for summer events, adds resident-parking and safety conditions

Madison’s Board of Public Works and Safety approved a package of street-closure resolutions for several 2025 events and amended one resolution to add specific streets and resident-only parking.

The approvals cover: the annual downtown car show (resolution 2025-4B, amended), the Summer Farmers Market (resolution 2025-5B), the Weinstein & Barrel wine fundraiser (resolution 2025-6B), a golf cart and UTV poker run (resolution 2025-8B), and the 2025 Music in the Park series (resolution 2025-7B). Board members took voice votes to approve each resolution; the meeting record shows no roll-call tallies.

Why it matters: the closings affect downtown traffic, resident parking and event logistics over multiple weekends this spring through fall, and the board attached operational conditions (resident parking passes, event safety planning and coordination with public-safety staff) to limit disruption and pedestrian risk.

Details of the approvals and adjustments

- Car show (resolution 2025-4B, as revised): The board approved the car show street and sidewalk closings with an amendment that expands the footprint. The final language adds Vine Street and Elm Street between Vaughn Drive and First Street, and extends Vaughn Drive to run from the east side of Mill Street to the west side of Jefferson Street (stopping at Jefferson to preserve riverfront access). The board also removed Poplar Street and Central Avenue from one closure category and created a new item reserving Poplar Street and Central Avenue up to First Street for neighboring resident parking on the event day. Organizers and staff discussed staging, prior-year practice (keeping Broadway open for parking) and working with local businesses to maintain some customer access. Organizers said they will meet staff to coordinate logistics and parking for restaurants and the lighthouse venue.

- Summer Farmers Market (resolution 2025-5B): Approved. The resolution grants weekly street and sidewalk closures for the Madison Farmers Market every Saturday from May 3 through Sept. 27, 2025, closing lanes of Broadway (northbound and southbound) from the north side of Main Street to the south side of First/Third Street and specified sidewalks on the north side of Main Street. Staff noted that event safety plans were submitted and are under review; staff also flagged the need for improved marking and pedestrian protections on the corridor where drivers have sometimes entered the wrong lane.

- Weinstein & Barrel (resolution 2025-6B): Approved. The board granted Vaughn Drive between West Street and Broadway Street to be closed on Saturday, June 21, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., as requested by the Madison Riverfront Development Committee.

- Poker run (resolution 2025-8B): Approved. The board authorized a golf-cart and UTV poker run on Oct. 4, 2025 (listed in the resolution as 10/04/2025; one speaker also referenced Oct. 5), closing Vaughn Drive between West Street and Broadway from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Organizers said participants will obey traffic regulations outside the event footprint; staff reported no known safety incidents from last year.

- Music in the Park (resolution 2025-7B): Approved. The board approved street and parking-space reservations for four Friday concerts (June 13, July 11, Aug. 8 and Sept. 12, 2025). Central Avenue between First Street and Vaughn Drive will be closed and used for golf-cart parking; parking on the north side of Vaughn Drive (south of Bicentennial Park) will be reserved for food trucks; certain parking spaces north of Bicentennial Park will be reserved for neighboring residents. Organizers said the event time has changed to 6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. to encourage more local dining and to match observed attendance peaks; staff will distribute neighborhood notices and parking passes for residents.

Safety and neighborhood accommodations

Board members and staff emphasized coordination with public-safety personnel and event organizers. The meeting record shows staff requested improved traffic marking and a follow-up conversation with the police chief about a problem area where drivers have turned into the wrong lane on Third Street during busy downtown events. Residents requested temporary barricades, a temporary stop sign at First and Central in past years, and a limited number of resident parking passes; the board adopted language reserving certain spaces for neighborhood residents and discussed placing signage and towing enforcement for unauthorized vehicles.

Votes and procedure

Each resolution was moved and seconded during the meeting and approved by voice vote. The meeting transcript records motions, seconds and unanimous “aye” responses; there is no roll-call vote recorded in the transcript.

Ending

Organizers and several board members said they will continue event-level coordination with city staff (including a scheduled follow-up meeting between event organizers and staff) to finalize staging, parking passes and safety measures ahead of the first scheduled events in May and June.