Live Traffic Updates

Weekly Construction update (April 4th-8th)

Here’s this week’s construction update from the DOT, get the full update HERE:

Westbound and eastbound Beltline, Whitney Way to Seminole Highway

  • Updated: Nighttime ramp closure from Verona Road/Midvale Boulevard to the westbound Beltline.
    • 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. (April 7-8)

Verona Road, Midvale Boulevard and Mohawk Drive

  • Updated: Daily and nightly lane closures to occur on westbound Beltline ramps at Verona Road and at Midvale Boulevard/Nakoma Road intersection for storm sewer, grading, and water main work.
    • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (April 4-8)
    • 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. (April 7-8) – Noise is expected from backup alarms and construction vehicles in the area.
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Winter Awareness Week

While we don’t have major amounts of snow in our immediate future, the week of November 9-13 is Winter Awareness Week in Wisconsin.

It’s important that as we head into the winter months, both you and your vehicle are prepared for the weather. Now is the time to get your vehicle winterized and make sure that it is loaded with a good winter weather survival kit. The kit should include the following…

  • Blankets or sleeping bags
  • Extra hats, socks and mittens
  • A flashlight, with extra batteries
  • First-aid kit
  • A Shovel, booster cables and a windshield scraper
  • Water and high-calorie, non-perishable food (raisins, candy bars, energy/protein bars)
  • Sand or cat litter to use for traction if you get stuck
  • A cell-phone adapter

If you do get stuck in a storm, stay in your vehicle if possible – walking in a storm can be dangerous, as it’s easy to get lost of exhausted and your vehicle provides good shelter. If possible, call 911 and give your location and the condition of everyone in the vehicle. Do not hang up with the 911 operator until you know what will happen next.

Remember, most wintertime accidents happen as a result of driving too fast for the conditions. Over the last five years, Wisconsin has averaged 18,000 accidents each year during the winter months when roads are covered with ice, snow or slush.

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Madison Marathon Weekend

Madison Marathon is on Sunday (11/8/15)…and that means that you can expect some traffic delays as runners hit the road. The race starts and ends on the Capitol Square and the square will be closed to traffic until 4pm on Sunday. Southbound Sherman Avenue will also be closed for the race and there will be several lane closure and points where traffic will only be permitted to cross the route when there are sufficient gaps in the runners.

Madison Metro detours can be found here.

The full marathon route can be found here.

The half-marathon route can be found here.

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Weekend Traffic Notes

Good Morning,

Pat is out on vacation today so Travis & Bonnie are handling traffic.  Here’s some noteworthy traffic events to pass along:

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation tells us that law enforcement will be out in force this weekend, watching for drunk drivers.  Please celebrate safely and if you have had too much to drink, don’t drive.

Looking ahead to more road construction next week, Highway 19 will be closed between Highway 12 and K from 7:30am ‘til 3pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for culvert replacements.

If you see anything on the roads this morning or afternoon, don’t forget to safely share it with us on twitter @madisontraffic, have a great day and great weekend!

-Travis

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Homecoming Traffic Closings

There are a couple of area homecoming celebrations going on around the area today.

East High School:

-East Mifflin st will be closed between Paterson and Dickinson st from about 3:30-5:30

Verona High School:

-North Main st will be closed starting at about 4:15 for aprox. 30 minutes.

Good luck to all area teams tonight in Friday Night Lights action!

-Travis

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Highway 73 Construction Info

Construction starts tomorrow on HWY 73 north and southbound in Deerfield from London Rd to Highway 12.

-Southbound detour info: Take highway 73 north to I94 West to I39 South. Then take HWY 51 South to 73 in Edgerton

-Northbound detour info: Take highway 12/18 to I39 North, I94 East to Highway 73 North.

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Ironman Week in Madison

Ironman week in Madison means that more than 2500 athletes will descend on our city for the ultimate triathlon challenge…a 2.4 mile swim in Lake Monona…a 112 mile bike ride in Madison on through the rolling hills to the west of Madison…and a 26.2 mile run through downtown Madison and the UW campus!

Ironman week in Madison also means some street closures and lane restrictions.  The race is on Sunday, and most of the restrictions are on Sunday, but some start a bit earlier…

Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd is closed between Doty and Wilson

Wilson Street will be closed from Pinckey to South Carroll, starting Saturday at 2pm

Also on Saturday – the rest of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd will close starting at 6pm

A complete list of race-day road closures and lane restrictions can be found here.

 

 

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Labor Day Weekend!

Labor Day weekend means LOTS of people out on the roads…use some extra caution driving this weekend, and if you have had too much to drink, please don’t drive. State and local law enforcement agencies will be out in force to arrest drunk drivers as part of the national Drice Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.

Also this weekend – the Wisconsin Department of Transportation tells us that most major highway construction project will be suspended through the weekend in order to accommodate heavy Labor Day weekend traffic. Work will continue on Tuesday.

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Walk & Roll

“Walk & Roll” is this Sunday in the Acewood and Elvehjem Park neighborhoods! Similar to “Ride the Drive” earlier this year, Walk & Roll will allow bicycles, walkers, runners and skaters access to car-free streets.  So, from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., street closures will include segments of the following roads…

* Acewood Boulevard
* Starker Avenue
* Angel Crest Way
* Buckeye Road
* Homberg Lane
* Ellen Avenue
* Painted Post Drive

There will also be lane closures on Cottage Grove Road, however, 2-way traffic will continue throughout the event on the north side of the road.

Go to the Walk & Roll website for more information.

 

…and speaking of bicycling…

If you go by bike, please be aware that the Southwest Commuter Path will be closed from Randall Avenue to Mills Street, during the day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Aug. 31 – Sept. 2) for construction at Charter Street. The path will be open during non-working hours (7 p.m. – 7 a.m.).

 

 

 

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Move-In Days!

Welcome back UW students!

You’re going to see lots of extra traffic downtown over the next couple of days, as students move back into dorms and apartments for the fall semester at the UW.  Expect lane closures on West Dayton Street between Park Street and Frances Street for student move-in on Thursday, August 27, Sunday, August 30 and Monday, August 31. The closures will be from 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day, with Dayton Street operating as a one-way, westbound street.

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Do You Know Why I Pulled You Over?

There were 345,000 traffic convictions in Wisconsin in the first half of 2015!

Ever wonder WHY all of those people are being pulled over?

Well, 20% were for speed-related offenses…that’s about 70,000 speeding tickets! Other top convictions include compulsory insurance violations, seat belt violations and driving with a suspended license.

That information was just recently released by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation…just as we get into one of the busiest travel seasons of the year – with families getting in one last summer getaway, or sending kids off to college. If that includes you, try not to add to the statistics for the second half of 2015.

Drive carefully!

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Ride the Drive Road Closures

Ride the Drive is this Sunday in downtown Madison.  That means several streets will be closed to motorists…and open to bicycles, walkers, runner and rollerbladers.  Roads affected include…

  • John Nolen Dr from Lakeside St to E. Wilson St
  • Blair St from E. Wilson St to E. Washington Ave
  • E. Washington Ave from Blair St to Pinckney St
  • Pinckney St from E. Washington Ave to Mifflin St
  • Mifflin St from N. Pinckney St to S. Carroll St
  • State St from Mifflin St to Gilman St
  • Gilman St from State St to University Ave
  • Frances St. from Gilman St to W. Dayton St
  • W. Dayton St from N. Frances St to Bedford St
  • Bedford St from Dayton St to North Shore Dr
  • North Shore Dr from W. Brittingham Pl to John Nolen Dr

Roads will close at 8:30am and reopen at 3pm.  Traffic will be allowed to cross the route at several key intersections under the direction of police.

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More New Construction

…and one more construction project is starting up today (Tuesday, May 19)…thankfully, this one is short-term.

Whalen Road, just south of Madison will be closed between Fish Hatchery Road and Mutchler from now through Thursday.  Detour routes will be clearly posted.

An update on Century Avenue in Middleton…the left lane of traffic is closed between Highland and Tomahawk due to a sink-hole.  Crews have been working on a fix, but it expected to take the rest of the week before the road is completely reopened.

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East Johnson Lane Closures

Expect lane closures starting on Monday, May 18 on East Johnson Street at Pinckney Street, for the installation of underground utilities.  This is part of the North Pinckney Street reconstruction project.

Monday, May 18 – Friday, May 22: one lane open 7am – 3:30pm, two lanes open 3:30pm – 7am

Saturday, May 23 – Monday, May 25: two lanes open

Tuesday, May 26 – Friday, May 29: one lane open 7am – 3:30pm, two lanes open 3:30pm – 7am

7am Saturday, May 30 – 3pm Monday, June 1: one lane of traffic open.

At 3pm on Monday, June 1, East Johnson will be fully open to three lanes of traffic.

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Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

The month of May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reminds drivers to share the road and watch for motorcycles, especially at intersections and when changing lanes.  Greg Patzer, manager of the Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program explains that “Drivers can easily misjudge the speed and distance of an approaching motorcycle because of its smaller dimensions.”

Motorcyclists are encouraged to always wear visible and protective gear, take a rider education course appropriate for their skill level, and to be properly licensed.

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