Fitchburg Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission Meeting Summary – December 3, 2025

The Fitchburg Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission met on December 3, 2025, to consider two resolutions, receive project updates, discuss Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), review a WisDOT Beltline study, and examine safety at the Seminole Highway/Badger State Trail crossing. The commission recommended approval of one grant-support resolution, deferred action on the 2025 Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan update until a January special meeting, and received reports from staff and Bike Fitchburg.

Consent Calendar / Routine Approvals

• Minutes of the previous meeting were approved by voice vote after a motion and second; all commissioners present voted aye.
• No public appearances were made for non-agenda items, and no written submissions were reported.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Steve, speaking for Bike Fitchburg and the Wisconsin Bike Fed, expressed strong support for Resolution R 235-25, the STBG-TA grant application for the Traceway and Post Road path. He said the path would connect the Fish Hatchery Greenway to the Cannonball, benefit The Hub and Leopold School, and improve bicycle and pedestrian circulation in a busy residential area.
• Steve provided detailed comments on the 2025 Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan update. He said Bike Fitchburg photos were used as decoration without captions or credits, the bicycle/pedestrian coordinator position was scheduled too late (2030) and lacked detail, and the plan needed more accountability. He recommended more work and later offered a nominal or one-dollar contract for Bike Fitchburg to help revise the document.
• Commissioner Mark Hamilton said he was not prepared to support the plan as drafted, citing nine months of concerns, the absence of a community survey, a need for clearer accountability, and a desire for a stronger walking section.

Discussion Items

• Resolution R 235-25 – Traceway and Post Road Path Grant Support: Staff explained that the city had already applied for the grant and had been recommended for funding by the Greater Madison MPO to WisDOT, but the resolution of support was a required part of the application. The path would stop at the Fitchburg border; Madison would build the remaining roughly 100 feet as part of its own path repair work. The project is currently recommended for 2030 funding, but shovel-ready projects can sometimes be built earlier through grant redistribution. Staff also confirmed that the city clears snow from multi-use paths. The commission voted to recommend approval; all present voted aye.
• Resolution R 174-25 – Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2025 Update: Staff reviewed the timeline: the draft was presented by MSA in August; the BPC reviewed it December 3; the Community Equity Committee is scheduled for December 15; the Transportation and Transit Commission is scheduled for January 8; and council review was originally set for January 13. Staff pushed back on the idea that comments were ignored, noting that few comments were received during the draft comment period. Alder Joe Maldonado opposed delaying the plan, suggested moving the bicycle/pedestrian coordinator recommendation from 2030 to 2028, and recommended a commission subset work through content edits. Kelly Jetzer said the plan did not include previously requested language about slip lanes being dangerous to pedestrians and bicyclists; staff acknowledged a missed correction. Jim Denham said the draft felt like a cake that was not quite frosted. After discussion, the commission voted to defer the item to a special January BPC meeting, accept Steve's documented changes, and schedule the special meeting after the Transportation and Transit Commission meeting and before the council vote.
• Public Works Updates: Staff said a city road project remains on track to begin construction in spring 2026, and Wayland Road bike lanes also start construction in spring, subject to property acquisition. A bicycle counter removed during the Syene Road project had been salvaged and reinstalled on the opposite side of the trail, but it needs adjustment. Commissioner Mark Hamilton complimented the completed Syene Road project.
• RRFB Discussion: Staff described informal warrants for RRFB placement: more than 20 pedestrians per hour, with children or elderly counted double (a school crossing needs only 10 per hour); at least 150 vehicles per hour or 1,500 vehicles per day; speed limits between 30 and 45 mph; and no more than one through lane in each direction. Multi-lane roads such as McKee or Fish Hatchery would need a more substantial device such as a HAWK beacon. The Cannonball path crossing had 32 pedestrians per hour. Basic two-post RRFBs cost $10,000–$12,000; costs above $10,000 must be in the city's Capital Improvement Program; adding detection raises costs to $20,000–$25,000. New RRFBs have audible locator tones but do not indicate when it is safe to cross. A HAWK beacon, unlike an RRFB, displays a red light and is generally considered safer, especially for visually impaired users. Staff reported ongoing thermal-detection problems at the Cannonball crossing in snow and rain, which can cause the beacons to flash constantly and lead drivers to ignore them; staff are considering a break-beam sensor instead.
• WisDOT Beltline Study: Staff summarized the Beltline PEL study between Middleton and Cottage Grove. Bike and pedestrian recommendations include two highway crossings — one west of Park Street and one crossing Highway 14 south of the Beltline — plus a possible connection from Seminole Highway to the Cannonball path and Fish Hatchery Road. A public meeting was scheduled for the following day at 5:30 p.m. Fitchburg is on record opposing capacity increases in the study, and a circulating letter asks WisDOT to remove capacity improvements before NEPA review.
• Seminole Highway / Badger State Trail Intersection: Staff reviewed an October crash in which a southbound car struck a southbound cyclist crossing Seminole Highway from the Badger State Trail. The cyclist was transported with life-threatening injuries; the driver had minor injuries. The crossing has a 35 mph speed limit, a high-visibility marked crosswalk, advance bike crossing signs, and stop signs and pavement markings on the trail. The speed limit increases almost immediately to the south of the crossing. Actions since the crash include upgrading to full-size stop signs, planning full-width stop ahead pavement markings, and producing educational videos with police and Steve on crossing laws and RRFB use. Staff asked people to stop attaching small convex mirrors to signs. Long-term reorientation of the trail is difficult because it is a DNR rails-to-trails corridor; a possible alternative would be a local trail east of Seminole Highway connecting at the roundabout. Moving the 35 mph zone south and traffic calming were discussed. Commissioner Mark Hamilton also asked for a process so the commission is notified when such crashes occur.

Key Outcomes

• Recommended approval of Resolution R 235-25 supporting the STBG-TA grant application for the Traceway and Post Road path.
• Deferred Resolution R 174-25, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2025 update, to a special January BPC meeting, with acceptance of Steve's documented changes. The previously announced February 4 regular meeting date was changed to a date to be determined in January.
• No formal action was taken on RRFB placement, the Beltline study, or the Seminole Highway/Badger State Trail intersection; staff will continue implementation and coordination.
• Bike Fitchburg announced planning for 2026 events, a December 13 feeder ride for the Santa Cycle Rampage, vegetation management at Kyle Steagert Greenway, and work to spin off Friends of Kyle Steagert Greenway and Cycling Without Age Fitchburg as separate nonprofits.