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Commission approves Plum (Flam) Road resurfacing plan with off-street path; staff to consider merge ramps
Summary
The Transportation Commission approved Option 3 for Flam (Plum) Road reconstruction, removing on-street parking, adding an 8–10 foot off-street path north of the roadway, and creating bus-loading features near La Follette; the motion asked staff to consider adding bike-path merge ramps where feasible.
The Transportation Commission on Oct. 8 approved a revised design for the Flam Road resurfacing and assessment district that narrows vehicle lanes, removes on-street parking, and installs an 8–10 foot multiuse off-street path on the north side of Flam Road to connect to existing shared-use paths on Monona Drive.
Engineering staff presented three options and a public survey of residents and stakeholders. Staff said Option 3 — the preferred design — received the broadest support in the commission’s outreach (about 60% supportive in the questionnaire) and was presented as the city’s recommendation.
What the approved design includes: engineering said the project will reconstruct utilities and replace curb and gutter as needed; remove on-street parking along Flam Road; provide an off-street 8–10 foot path on the north side that ties into the Monona Drive path; install medians at select intersections (Alder Road, Groveland Terrace and the La Follette parking-lot entrance); and include an 11–12 foot bus-loading lane in front of La Follette School to keep buses out of the travel lane. The design also calls for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at specified intersections to slow traffic.
Why it matters: Flam Road is a bus and truck route serving neighborhoods and La Follette School. The chosen design balances school loading operations, pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, ADA compliance, preserving terrace trees where possible, and the constraints of existing right-of-way.
Commission discussion and changes: Commissioners and staff discussed retaining adequate vehicle width for buses and trucks (staff said a 26-foot roadway is the narrowest acceptable where transit vehicles must pass), parking impacts and construction phasing. Commissioners asked staff to examine design adjustments to allow bikers on the roadway to merge onto the off-street path without having to detour across pedestrian areas. The motion approved by the Commission includes a direction for staff to “consider adding merge ramps for the bike path to the design” where feasible; staff said they would try to accommodate merge access subject to site constraints and tree preservation and noted a final design might not be able to include ramps in every location.
Public input and school coordination: Staff said they conducted a parking and speed study and met with La Follette School; engineers reported limited existing on-street parking and student support for the off-street path. Staff noted several locations will require easements (including school property and a frontage-road parcel) to complete the full 10-foot path.
Action and outcome: Alder Nina Martinez Rutherford moved to approve Option 3; Alder William Okovich seconded. After friendly amendment language to request staff consideration of merge ramps, the Commission approved the motion by unanimous consent. The motion instructs staff to attempt to incorporate merge ramps where possible in the final design but to avoid requiring substantial tree removal or additional right-of-way acquisitions where not necessary.
Next steps: Staff will advance final design, pursue necessary easements, and return with project updates and construction scheduling.
