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Neighbors oppose Pontiac Trail reconstruction assessments; council approves project with one recorded no vote
Summary
Residents told the council they oppose the Pontiac Trail reconstruction plan — citing tree loss, wider roadway footprint and assessments up to about $10,000–$14,000 — but the council voted to approve plans and assessments for the District 10 project with Alder Knox recorded as the lone no vote.
Members of the Pontiac Trail neighborhood urged the Madison Common Council to pause a planned 2025 road reconstruction project, saying the proposed curved concrete street, double sidewalks and widened footprint would remove mature trees, harm the neighborhood’s character and impose heavy special assessments on homeowners.
Al Shackleford, a District 10 resident, told the council the existing street is 20 feet wide and that the proposed changes would almost triple the footprint. He said some neighbors face assessments in the range of roughly $10,000 to $14,000 and that an alternative design would better fit the area. Shackleford said residents had completed a questionnaire early in the process and believed support had fallen after assessment notices were distributed.
Alder Figueroa Cole and other council members said the item had been reviewed extensively by staff and committees and noted that Madison’s "complete green streets" policy removes sidewalk assessments in certain circumstances; the assessments in this case were related to site construction rather than sidewalk installation. The Board of Public Works authorized extending the assessment payment period to 15 years to reduce short‑term burden on property owners.
Staff indicated they had no presentation ready at the meeting and that any technical questions could be reserved for later discussion. The city moved, seconded and recorded the vote: ayes except Alder Knox, who recorded a no vote. That vote carried the measure and the plans and assessment schedule for Pontiac Trail, Boston Court, Rosewood Circle and Nokomis Circle Assessment District 2025 in District 10 were approved as presented.
