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Middleton advisory committee outlines outreach push for Bike Week and community rides
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Summary
At a Middleton advisory meeting, members discussed expanding Bike Week outreach with larger community rides, family-friendly and smaller themed rides, business discounts, repair pop-ups and route mapping; staff asked members to submit route suggestions for maps and tourism materials.
Members of a Middleton active-transportation advisory committee spent most of the meeting on outreach plans for the city's active transportation program, focusing on Bike Week events, community rides and digital tools to track participation.
The committee heard that the community ride during Bike Week (the first week of June; the community ride has historically been held on June 1) drew a large turnout — "75 or 80 people," said Speaker 5, a committee member — and that larger rides will require additional ride leaders and traffic control. Speaker 5 said having both a high-visibility, large ride and smaller, themed or family-friendly rides would help show community support while improving safety and accessibility.
Staff (Speaker 2) told the group the planning team can publish basic web sign-up forms and accept route submissions via Google Maps or screenshots, but cautioned that Middleton has fewer volunteer organizers than neighboring communities such as Fitchburg. "We don't have quite as many people here in Middleton that could do that," Speaker 2 said, urging members to submit routes and contact information to staff.
Committee members suggested pairing outreach with tourism efforts. Speaker 5 proposed a bike-route "stamp" or scavenger-style challenge tied to Visit Middleton materials and an honor-system sign-up to encourage people to explore bike routes. The group also discussed a "bicycle benefits" discount program for downtown businesses during Bike Week; Speaker 4 noted that while the program has national links, it is particularly established in Wisconsin.
Practical event ideas included a Bike Week kickoff with a repair pop-up and QR-code sign-ups, business discounts, and ride-leader training. Local shops named during discussion as potential partners included Wheel and Sprocket and Bombay Cycle.
The staff asked committee members to email or submit Google Maps/Strava screenshots of recommended routes; they also cautioned against promoting narrow sections of the Pheasant Branch Conservancy where passing is unsafe. The committee agreed to collect routes and reconvene on related planning at the next meeting.
No formal motions or votes were recorded during the discussion. The next procedural step is for staff to collect route submissions and for members to review draft outreach materials ahead of the next meeting.
