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Madison Transportation Commission reviews WisDOT BeltLine PEL; public urges opposition to lane expansion
Summary
City staff and WisDOT presented the BeltLine PEL study; residents and commissioners raised concerns about potential home and business displacements, public‑health and climate impacts, and requested more origin‑destination data. WisDOT said PEL sets NEPA scope and public comments are being accepted.
City staff and WisDOT briefed the Madison Transportation Commission on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation(WisDOT) BeltLine Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study on Jan. 7, 2026, prompting sustained public opposition to proposals that would add vehicle capacity to the BeltLine.
Christophe (city staff) told the commission the PEL is the federal pre‑NEPA step that identifies transportation issues, defines project purpose and the range of alternatives to be evaluated in NEPA. "This is essentially what comes before a NEPA process," he said, explaining the PEL will shape what the NEPA study examines and that the cityand Common Council may submit formal comments or a resolution to WisDOT.
The PEL materials presented a menu of components WisDOT might carry into NEPA: adding a general‑purpose lane in each direction across the BeltLine; extending the existing flex lane west of Verona Road to the full BeltLine; constructing weave structures (reordered on‑ and off‑ramps); interchange reconstructions (including several concepts at the Verona Road interchange); and a range of pedestrian, bicycle and…
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