Uncategorized

Madison Bike Tour

Scroll

September 19, 2025

Bike Tour Map

Tour Overview

We are going to experience a wide variety of bicycle facilities, including separated paths, two-way cycle tracks, contra-flow protected bike lanes, parking-protected bike lanes, local streets, and short sections in traffic. Along the way we will stop to discuss how it felt to ride in the previous sections, thoughts about maintenance, operations, and other considerations.

We will also visit sites utilizing various types of green infrastructure used to manage stormwater and provide a myriad of other benefits. Things like bioswales, rain gardens and rain barrels, wetland restoration, porous pavements, creek daylighting, green roofs, and tree canopy: green infrastructure is an approach to stormwater management that seeks to mimic natural hydrologic functions by using soil and plants to treat, infiltrate, and evapotranspirate rainwater near where it falls as well as discussing tree canopy mapping efforts.

Using BCycles

Whether you’ve been cycling for years or this is your first time on a bike since middle school, Madison BCycle electric-assist bikes make any terrain easy to conquer and enjoy! Following these few steps can make your e-bike trip even more seamless.

Inspect the Bike

  • Make sure to check brakes, tires, and the front/rear lights before riding.
  • Madison BCycle bike seats are easily adjustable. Just open the clamp on the seat post, lower or raise your seat, and close the clamp again.
  • Problems? Let us know during bike check time!

Wear a Helmet

  • Helmets will be provided to you by Metroplan staff.
  • We always recommend you wear a helmet when riding a bike.

Shifting your Bike

  • Shifting your bike will change the level of pedal assist during your trip.
  • BCycles only shift when you STOP pedaling. If you want to shift, coast for a second before changing gears, then start pedaling again.

Rules of the Road

  • Bicycles are vehicles, with the same rights and responsibilities as drivers.
  • Make sure to observe local traffic signs, signals, and laws at all times.
  • Ride your bike in the bike lanes, on bike paths, or on the street when needed. Never ride against traffic. Stay to the right side of the road or path, in the same direction of travel as automobiles (if applicable) – note that we will be riding in a contra-flow protected bike lane where this does not apply. When making a left turn, use the left side of the lane.
  • Signal your next move. If you are turning, point in the direction you are going. This helps cars and other cyclists understand your intentions. Hand signals are required within 50 feet of the turn, but not required to maintain signal throughout the turn.
  • Walk your bike on the sidewalk.

Safe Group Riding

  • Each group will have a leader and someone who is “sweeping” at the rear to make sure that nobody falls behind.
  • We will generally ride at 10-14 mph (BCycles cannot go faster than 17 mph unless they are going downhill).
  • The leader will make every effort to ensure that the entire group can get through signalized intersections together; however, if the group is separated, the lead group will wait in a safe place for the following group to catch up.
  • At Stop signs, the leader or another guide will pause in the middle of the intersection to block traffic and wave through the entire group. Nevertheless, please try to stay together.
  • When stopping along paths or other facilities, be mindful to not stop IN the path and block it. Try to pull off to one side into a safe location that allows others to pass. Similarly, when we stop at floating bus stops, be mindful to not block transit riders’ access to and from the boarding platform.

Background on Madison’s Green Infrastructure Efforts

Especially in an urban setting, green infrastructure practices can be integrated into the site design–or into retrofits or redevelopments–to treat stormwater while also addressing other wayfinding, aesthetic, and architectural form factors.

So beyond just effectively managing stormwater and improving resilience, green infrastructure gives us other environmental benefits, such as improving air quality and increasing habitat connectivity; social benefits such as contributing to improved health and well-being and a sense of community; and economic benefits such as increased property values and lower infrastructure life-cycle costs. Together these can be referred to as ‘triple bottom line’ benefits.

To contrast green infrastructure, grey infrastructure–the concrete curb and gutter, hard pavements, and concrete pipes you see everywhere–is intended to take the stormwater, and all the sediment and pollutants that it picks up along the way, and send it to the nearest water body as quickly as possible. This was the strategy for many many years, hence why you see it everywhere. But the tide is changing and there is more and more talk and emphasis around green infrastructure. In fact, in 2020, the City of Madison rolled out revisions to their stormwater ordinance requiring the use of Green Infrastructure for some elements of stormwater management on development projects.

Recent Posts