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City staff say county likely would require jurisdictional transfer for Century Avenue road diet study
Summary
City staff told the Middleton Pedestrian, Bicycle and Transit Committee that Dane County's highway commissioner indicated a likely requirement for jurisdictional transfer if the city narrows Century Avenue as part of a proposed road diet; the committee asked the study to address transit impacts, local driveways and to produce an iterable design.
Abby, a city staff member overseeing the draft Century Avenue road‑diet scope, told the committee the Dane County Highway Commissioner's position is that, if the city were to narrow Century Avenue from two lanes in each direction to one in each direction with a center left‑turn lane, the county would likely require a jurisdictional transfer before the change could proceed.
"The position, at least that of the highway commissioner, is that they would require a jurisdictional transfer," Abby said, adding that she had asked whether the county would cost‑share improvements prior to any transfer but had not yet received a response.
The distinction matters because the resurfacing already tentatively planned for 2029 could be affected by who owns and maintains the roadway. Committee members urged that the consultant scope explicitly analyze impacts to transit service and curbside operations, and flag critical driveway crossings.
"I would suggest also listing the two driveways with Middleton Glen and Metromarket, especially the one with Metromarket," one committee member said, noting turning movements at that entrance make it effectively an intersection rather than a simple driveway.
Committee members also asked the study to examine bus operations along the corridor. Staff noted Metro prioritizes maintaining schedule and that the study should include engineering evaluation of how bus stops would be accommodated if a lane reduction were adopted.
Several members favored a deliverable that could be implemented in phases rather than a single large construction project. "I would like that concept to be something that's potentially iterable, something that we can break into pieces and do one piece at a time," one member said, arguing phased implementation could yield earlier benefits if full funding is not immediately available.
Staff said the study would seek competitive proposals under an approximately $40,000 scope and that public works staff had helped draft the document. The committee debated whether to send the final scope to the full council for review because a jurisdictional transfer could carry long‑term financial implications; staff noted any eventual contract award would require council approval.
Next steps: staff will refine the scope to more clearly address transit impacts, driveway intersections and phasing options, and return to the committee for final direction before issuing the RFP.
