WisDOT presents alternatives for US 51 (South Stoughton Road); city staff signals preference for wide boulevard

Madison — Wisconsin Department of Transportation staff on July 23 updated the Madison Transportation Commission on planning-level alternatives for the US 51 (South Stoughton Road) corridor, a 4.4-mile stretch running from Bogus Road/Terminal Drive in McFarland north to just south of Highway 30 in Madison.

The study, WisDOT said, aims to “improve safety and mobility for all modes of travel and to improve community connectivity guided by local plans and goals.” The corridor currently carries roughly 34,000–48,000 vehicles per day in different segments and includes a mix of frontage roads, interchanges and at-grade intersections.

Why it matters: US 51 is a primary north–south route on Madison’s east side that serves businesses, freight and neighborhoods. WisDOT and city staff said changes could alter whether segments function more like a city street or a higher-speed, limited-access route — with implications for safety, property access and multimodal connectivity.

Michelle Howe, major studies supervisor for WisDOT’s Southwest Region, outlined the study process and the concept alternatives under consideration. Corridor concepts presented previously range from preserving a higher-speed corridor with limited direct access to converting sections to lower-speed urban cross sections with new intersections. At the July 15 public meeting WisDOT reported more than 130 attendees; a public survey tied to the study remains open through August 15.

Alternatives and where they would be considered - Milwaukee Street and Cottage Grove Road: each location has two high-level concepts — upgrading existing…