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The situation?
While Madison – particularly the downtown Isthmus area – is known for its bike-ability, many parts of the growing outer regions of the city don’t have the same benefit. They are not part of a city-wide connected trails system. For example, bicyclists looking to travel downtown from the north or far east sides must navigate traffic on busy Stoughton Road or traverse the roundabouts on North Thompson Drive. It’s been a goal for the City of Madison to better connect outlying cyclist and pedestrian trails with a safer route to the downtown area. 

What is the project, and how does it benefit the community?
The new Autumn Ridge multi-use path connects the city’s far east side to downtown and Madison’s extensive bike and pedestrian trail network. The new path vastly improves connectivity, enhances safety for all non-motorized modes of transportation crossing Highway 30, and better connects neighborhoods on either side. The path provides walkers and cyclists access to jobs, grocery stores, healthcare facilities, schools, and recreational activities.   

Autumn Ridge Path connects Milwaukee Street to Commercial Avenue. It includes a new bridge overpass over busy Highway 30, which historically has created a barrier between the Sycamore Park area and much of the rest of Madison. Project work also includes reconstruction and widening of the existing path through Hiestand Park, creation of a new path segment through a greenway adjacent to the Thompson Road ramp off Highway 30, connecting the path via local streets (Stein Avenue and Ziegler Road) to existing infrastructure, the installation of lighting along the route, and improvement of the crossing of Milwaukee Street at Portland Parkway with signals for bikes and pedestrians. 

What makes the investment possible?
Federal and local sources funded the $4.5 million project, with a $2.5 million federal grant and $2 million in local city funding. 

What’s the status?
The path opened for public use in December of 2024. Plans involve extending the city’s multi-use path network further to the northeast.