Madison plans to build more sidewalks, shorten dangerous road crossings and steer safety investments toward underserved neighborhoods under its first comprehensive pedestrian plan in nearly three decades.

About two-thirds of Madison’s arterial and collector streets have sidewalks on both sides, according to Kevin Luecke, the city’s pedestrian and bicycle administrator. That leaves roughly 88 miles of missing sidewalk along those streets, a total the city hopes to reduce over the next 10 years.

Madison officials are poised to approve the first major update to the city’s Pedestrian Transportation Plan, adopted in 1997. The existing plan is “quite dated at this point,” Luecke said at a Board of Public Works meeting last week.

“Many of the recommendations of that plan had been implemented, some were not relevant anymore or disagreed with current city policies, so it was time for an update,” he said.

The plan does not guarantee or identify specific infrastructure projects, such as where the city would build sidewalks or install safer crossings. Instead, Luecke said, it establishes a policy framework to guide those decisions.

Over the past decade, Madison has adopted policies — including its Vision Zero initiative and Complete Green Streets guide — that prioritize pedestrians, public transit and cyclists when the city designs transportation and infrastructure projects, shifting away from a heavier emphasis on personal vehicles and parking.

Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable, Luecke said. Although pedestrians are involved in only 2% of Madison crashes, about 22% of crashes resulting in death or serious injury involve pedestrians.

The new pedestrian plan calls for building 28 miles of sidewalks by 2035, along with measures to improve walkability and safety, including:

• Lowering speed limits, building on the city’s 20 is Plenty program, which reduced speed limits to 20 mph on neighborhood streets.
• Expanding curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, raised crossings and pedestrian beacons.
• Improving ADA accessibility through better curb ramps, accessible crossing signals, pavement maintenance and snow removal.
• Widening crowded sidewalks and paths, similar to the city's upcoming Regent Street reconstruction project.
• Adding trees, shade, seating, water fountains, wayfinding signs and public art.

Under the plan, property owners would not be assessed for new sidewalk construction, although construction could still affect terraces, landscaping, driveways and on-street parking.

© 2026 The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.). Visit www.wisconsinstatejournal.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.