Bike Stuff

Bike detour off John Nolen Dr. 6/26/26 dwm

 Madison is known as bike-friendly city. There are more than 200 miles of trails and infrastructure for bikes and their riders.

 One of the main streets on the Madison isthmus is John Nolen Drive. It's under construction, removing the previous driving surface and starting over, while keeping one lane open in each direction.

 Two bike paths intersect the drive so the city created a detour to handle the large number of bicyclists. 

 On my way across town last Friday, I was on the Southwest Commuter Trail. When I was a few miles from John Nolen Drive I asked a cyclist if I would be able to get through the construction. She said yes and what to look for.

The detour rejoins the SW Commuter Path. dwm

Construction crews put down new asphalt, added barriers to protect bikes and pedestrians, and made a separate crosswalk in the middle of a block.

 

The light was green when I was heading east. On the return trip I stopped for the 'Don't Walk' signal as did a biker on the other side of the street. 

 

That's when a driver honked at us to cross. The driver was trying to be helpful but didn't notice his own green light and the cars behind him. 

 

When he honked again, we decided to cross the street so everyone could move.

 

The SW Commuter Path Bridge. 6/26/2026 dwm

 The next bridge for the ride posts is for one of the oldest in the city, dating to the early years of the 21st century. 

 

 The bridge over the Beltline is one I've used the most over the last 13 years is the Southwest Commuter Path bridge.

 The railroad tracks that crossed the road before it was the Beltline was abandoned in 2000. In 2004, the old rail bed began its conversion into a pedestrian and bike route.

 

 The Southwest Commuter Path is used by hundreds every day - some use it to ride to work, school, or shop. 

 

Where the path ends south of Madison, it joins the Badger State Trail which goes to Monroe and further south to the Illinois state line. A wonderful feature of this path is that the railroad didn't cross a lot of streets with the right of way, so streets don't slow down bicycles around Madison's southwest corner.

 

On the Southwest Commuter Path Bridge. 6/26/2026 dwm