Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the John Nolan Phase 2 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents and commissioners press for clearer bike connections in John Nolan Drive Phase 2 design
Summary
At a Transportation Commission briefing on John Nolan Drive Phase 2, residents warned the Lakeside intersection design lacks a clear, comfortable through connection for cyclists; staff said they will refine geometry, consider bike boxes and detection, and noted federal funding rules and truck-turn needs constrain some options.
City staff presented John Nolan Drive Phase 2 on June 17, describing pavement replacement, lane-width reductions, medians, widened sidewalks and intersection changes at Lakeside and Sale Street. Staff said phase two is scheduled for 2028 and follows phase one construction currently underway on the causeway.
The proposed Lakeside–John Nolan schematic narrows curb radii, increases islands where possible and removes a dedicated southbound right-turn lane onto Lakeside to shorten the north-side pedestrian crossing by about 30 feet. Staff said widened sidewalks (7–8 feet, up to ~10 feet at crossings), new signals and lighting, and bus-pad adjustments were part of the package. A staff alternative to build a west-side path was dismissed because its estimated cost (roughly $600,000–$700,000) would exceed available federal funds and require complex retaining walls in a railroad ditch.
Two registered residents urged additional bike accommodations. Nicholas Davies told commissioners that the new scheme, as drawn, creates an awkward series of path-to-street transitions that would be difficult for many cyclists to navigate and said, “The intersection is huge and deadly,” arguing staff should provide a more continuous on-street or direct bikeway through the junction. James Craft also urged clearer cyclist accommodations and wider connections to the Cap City Trail.
Commissioners and staff discussed several design options: adding bike boxes to help queue trail users who want to cross Lakeside, refining curb geometry to avoid sharp 90° turns, ensuring bicycle detection so signals register a lone cyclist, and reconsidering a dedicated right-turn lane on westbound Lakeside (some commissioners said a marked right-turn lane encourages drivers not to look for crossing cyclists). Staff noted some constraints: the Sale/Lakeside geometry must accommodate occasional 60–65-foot semis that service a traffic engineering shop, and the project carries federal funds that require following state facility guidance (WisDOT and FHWA coordination), which limits how far lane reductions can be taken without additional approvals. Staff committed to continue refining geometry, pursue bicycle detection solutions and to bring updated designs back to the commission.
No formal action was taken; the item was informational and staff said they expect to return with refined geometry in a future meeting.
