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Transportation Commission approves $324,500 slate of Safe Streets Madison projects, delays Mineral Point speed cut
Summary
The Transportation Commission approved a $324,500 slate of small safety and bike/ped projects from the Safe Streets Madison program, delaying a Mineral Point speed-limit reduction pending a data check and making the package contingent on a South Mill Street RP3 public hearing and Monona cost-share agreement.
The Transportation Commission on June 17 approved a reduced slate of Safe Streets Madison projects totaling $324,500 and asked staff to follow up on several contingencies before implementation.
City staff described the program and recent process changes — a 30% scoring boost for projects identified through safe-routes-to-school planning, use of 30-year lifetime costs in benefit-cost calculations, a $200,000 lifetime-cost screening to redirect very large projects, and an archive policy that moves low-scoring candidates off the active list after three years. Jessica, the staff presenter, told commissioners the changes were intended to broaden the types of projects that can compete in this program and to prioritize equity and smaller, locally focused safety work.
Tom reviewed recently completed work and the projects recommended for the first 2026 round, including eight five-mile-per-hour speed-limit reductions, a Park Street speed-reduction experiment using flexible delineators, quick-build flex-post bumpouts at traffic circles and school-area crossings, and several speed-hump and chicane candidates. Tom said staff calculated roughly $533,373 available for new projects in 2026 after accounting for previously approved but not-yet-constructed projects.
Commissioner Robbie Weber flagged that Mineral Point between Sego and Whitney Way is currently posted 35 mph, not 30, meaning the recommended 25-mph posting would amount to a 10-mph cut rather than the one-step (5-mph) change listed; staff agreed to re-check that location and suggested pulling it for later revision if necessary.
Commissioner Harold moved approval of the reduced recommended list, with Alder O'Brien seconding. The commission approved the list by unanimous consent with two contingencies: (1) completion of the RP3 public hearing and any required Transportation Commission action on removing RP3 parking for the South Mill Street / South Mill Street bike-lane project; and (2) formal agreement from the City of Monona to the assumed 50/50 cost-share on the Monona Drive at Winona RRFB project, where the two jurisdictions split the crossing. Tom confirmed that removing the Mineral Point speed reduction from this round reduces the package from $326,500 to $324,500.
Commissioners pressed staff on program administration and project delivery timelines, noting several 2023-approved items remain incomplete. Staff said delays are driven by design timelines, signal and concrete work lead times, contractor procurement timing, and shop capacity; they agreed to add brief status notes to older candidate-list entries so commissioners and the public can see why long-pending items remain open.
The commission also questioned scoring variance and life-cycle assumptions for inexpensive quick-build elements such as flex posts. Tom said staff will collect operational data and refine the 30-year cost assumptions for those temporary elements.
The commission’s approval directs staff to proceed with detailed design on the approved list, subject to the conditions the commission recorded.
The commission did not take separate roll-call votes; the chair recorded unanimous consent. The next step for approved projects is detailed design and inclusion in construction contracts later this year or in 2027 depending on complexity.
