Madison Area

[The Ghostbuster]

My mother called me last night on her way home from work, and said she did try the flex lane just for me. I'm not sure if she will use them again.

[SSOWorld]

the lack of a shoulder makes me disinterested - reminding me of I-70 in PA (or the turnpike)

[GeekJedi]

I'm wondering how long it will be before the first disabled car gets rear-ended hard in that lane.

Mike

I don't see that happening often - they have that service truck that patrols the area.

[triplemultiplex]

This past weekend, I observed the flex lane in operation outside of normal peak hours.  They had it open westbound on Saturday around noon, probably because the Badgers were playing at home.  Seems like a good use of the facility, though by the time I was seeing it, the extra lane wasn't needed.  WB was open, EB was closed at that point.  I'll bet they flipped it around after halftime; though I didn't see for myself.

[peterj920]

It did flip toward the end of the game. It's a great use for Badger games.

[The Ghostbuster]

It probably flipped because Badger fans were stampeding to get the hell out of there. After all, after kicking a field goal and taking a 10-7 lead over the University of Illinois early in the second quarter, the Fighting Illini put up 27 unanswered points to win 34-10, and the Badgers' coach was subsequently cut loose.

[thspfc]

It probably flipped because Badger fans were stampeding to get the hell out of there. After all, after kicking a field goal and taking a 10-7 lead over the University of Illinois early in the second quarter, the Fighting Illini put up 27 unanswered points to win 34-10, and the Badgers' coach was subsequently cut loose.

Wonder if Chryst used the flex lane on his way out of Madison after being fired . . .

[skluth]

It probably flipped because Badger fans were stampeding to get the hell out of there. After all, after kicking a field goal and taking a 10-7 lead over the University of Illinois early in the second quarter, the Fighting Illini put up 27 unanswered points to win 34-10, and the Badgers' coach was subsequently cut loose.

Wonder if Chryst used the flex lane on his way out of Madison after being fired . . .

LOL  I was really shocked he was fired. Saw a list of college hot seats before the season and his was considered about as safe as it gets. But I guess it means they'll keep Leonhard as head coach before he left for someplace else.

[skluth]

WisDOT is saying the Flex Lanes are a success

[thspfc]

WisDOT is saying the Flex Lanes are a success

What will make them a success or failure is how long it takes before WISDOT has to make more upgrades on the Beltline.

[triplemultiplex]

It probably flipped because Badger fans were stampeding to get the hell out of there. After all, after kicking a field goal and taking a 10-7 lead over the University of Illinois early in the second quarter, the Fighting Illini put up 27 unanswered points to win 34-10, and the Badgers' coach was subsequently cut loose.

Wonder if Chryst used the flex lane on his way out of Madison after being fired . . .

But still getting paid 11 million bucks.
Don't you wish you could get fired and still make more than 99.5% of the population?

[JoePCool14]

It probably flipped because Badger fans were stampeding to get the hell out of there. After all, after kicking a field goal and taking a 10-7 lead over the University of Illinois early in the second quarter, the Fighting Illini put up 27 unanswered points to win 34-10, and the Badgers' coach was subsequently cut loose.

Wonder if Chryst used the flex lane on his way out of Madison after being fired . . .

But still getting paid 11 million bucks.
Don't you wish you could get fired and still make more than 99.5% of the population?

Daniel Ricciardo sure knows what that's like.

[peterj920]

WisDOT is saying the Flex Lanes are a success

What will make them a success or failure is how long it takes before WISDOT has to make more upgrades on the Beltline.

An aux lane from Todd Drive to US 18/151 Verona Rd Westbound would be a huge help. The green for Verona Rd traffic needs to be longer and made a priority. There's way more traffic on that ramp than traffic from Midvale Blvd. Ramp meters on the Broadway ramps would help. There seems to be a big bottleneck at that interchange during rush hour.

[triplemultiplex]

Ramp meters on the Broadway ramps would help. There seems to be a big bottleneck at that interchange during rush hour.

Too much traffic trying to get off at Nolen with traffic coming on at Broadway; the streams cross and it all binds.  Ideally, they'd braid those two movements so they don't cross like they do.  Both directions, in fact.  That would do wonders.

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe these suggestions will be implemented when the DOT's Madison Beltline Corridor Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/madisonbeltline/default.aspx) reaches final design and construction, although you might be in for quite a wait.

[GeekJedi]

I used the flex lanes yesterday - it did seem to help traffic, even with the typical Madison LLB's doing exactly 55 in the flex lane when there was room to move over...

[peterj920]

Construction starting soon on several projects in the Madison Area. Some key projects:

Broom Street between John Nolen and W Washington St along with Wilson St.

The E Washington St/Blair St Intersection

Atwood Avenue

Continued work on University Avenue

Pleasant View Rd 4 lane expansion between Old Sauk Rd and US 14

Wis 113 between Madison City Limits and Wis 19

[Plutonic Panda]

Would've been kind of nice if you could've at least gave a quick description of what these projects are...

[The Ghostbuster]

The first one isn't on the City of Madison website: https://www.cityofmadison.com/. The second one is a pavement replacement project that addresses the portion of East Washington Avenue (between Blair St. and Blount St.) that was left untouched when the Blair St.-to-Thornton Ave. segment of East Washington Av. was reconstructed in 2004. Here is a good look at the East Washington/Blair intersection: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.078495,-89.3785459,3a,75y,316.65h,67.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJh2oubVabOIsQWASVSTD1g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192. The third one is addressed here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/atwood-avenue. I hate the fact that while inbound Atwood will remain two lanes westbound, outbound Atwood Ave. will be reduced to one lane eastbound (although that does match the segment of Atwood between S. Fair Oaks Ave. and Oakridge St.). The fourth one was started last year: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/university-avenue. The fifth one is here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/pleasant-view-road. The last one also isn't on the City of Madison website.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ thanks. Madison seems to be a unique city. I need to get up there and check out that part of the country.

[peterj920]

The first one isn't on the City of Madison website: https://www.cityofmadison.com/. The second one is a pavement replacement project that addresses the portion of East Washington Avenue (between Blair St. and Blount St.) that was left untouched when the Blair St.-to-Thornton Ave. segment of East Washington Av. was reconstructed in 2004. Here is a good look at the East Washington/Blair intersection: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.078495,-89.3785459,3a,75y,316.65h,67.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJh2oubVabOIsQWASVSTD1g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192. The third one is addressed here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/atwood-avenue. I hate the fact that while inbound Atwood will remain two lanes westbound, outbound Atwood Ave. will be reduced to one lane eastbound (although that does match the segment of Atwood between S. Fair Oaks Ave. and Oakridge St.). The fourth one was started last year: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/university-avenue. The fifth one is here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/pleasant-view-road. The last one also isn't on the City of Madison website.

The Broom St project is listed under W Wilson Street. The project works on the streets in that area but will reduce lanes on Broom.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/300-block-w-wilson

Here's the Wis 113 project from the WISDOT site:

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/wis113-westport/default.aspx

[triplemultiplex]

I hate the fact that while inbound Atwood will remain two lanes westbound, outbound Atwood Ave. will be reduced to one lane eastbound (although that does match the segment of Atwood between S. Fair Oaks Ave. and Oakridge St.).

I think this is one of those situations where accommodating left turns by losing a travel lane in one direction will actually be better than the four lane undivided.

Here's the Wis 113 project from the WISDOT site:

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/wis113-westport/default.aspx

Kind of surprised they're not going to fill the four lane gap in that stretch as part of this.  One can see the r/w already is in place and it's not like Waunakee isn't growing.

This is going to be a big year for construction related to Bus Rapid Transit in Madison.  So expect lane closures at some point over the next two summers at the BRT stops:

[The Ghostbuster]

For more information on the bus rapid transit project in Madison, see this website: https://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/routes-schedules/bus-rapid-transit.

[JREwing78]

Definitely a positive step forward. Hopefully they see fit to expand and extend BRT service beyond the existing layout. The current bus system has decent coverage but is bog slow. BRT could make it much easier to live on the Isthmus without a car.

[WarrenWallace]

I just hope that any new line heading north out of downtown would hit up the airport.