Making a Dangerous Intersection Safe for Multi Users

For the better part of two years I have been commuting on a bicycle to my health club in Madison East Towne Mall. As a result, I travel through the Service Rd, Stoughton Rd and Anderson St  intersection each time I travel to Planet Fitness. 

It is crucial to note that Madison College is on one side of Stoughton Rd with its student body that would benefit from a safer and smarter route to Kwik Trip, Reindahl Park, East Towne Mall and East Madison retail all on the opposite side of Stoughton Rd.

At present, a city bike route runs from near east side neighborhoods to Starkweather Creek Trail, right on Anderson St to the problematic and dangerous intersection at Stoughton Rd.

I ride from Third Street following Demetral Path to Hoard St and Kedzie St.and Starkweather Creek Trail to Anderson St. The flow and safety are very good and highly valued. 

However, when I reach Stoughton Road everything changes. There is, quite frankly, a break in the link that is the bike route.

There are at least four lanes of traffic, two in each direction, with speeding cars and a missing crosswalk (the break in the link) on the same side of Stoughton St. as where the Bike Route seems to end. 

Since there is no crosswalk across Stoughton Rd to Kwik Trip on the side of Anderson St. opposite from Madison  College, I have no choice but to wait (there is no button or light here) for traffic to pass by turning right from Anderson St onto Stoughton Rd. before I can cross one-half of the Anderson intersection where I push a button on a traffic light and on white I cross the other half of Anderson. 

Now I am on a very small, tight terrace with my bicycle as cars and trucks speed past me on Stoughton Rd when I push the traffic light button to cross Stoughton road. 

I make it to an island in the middle of Stoughton Road and pass the second half on a white pedestrian light. Now I have to enter the Service Rd intersection with Stoughton Rd to cross it to reach the right lane of Service to continue on to the back of the Kwik Trip parking lot where the continuation of the bike route resumes. 

This is five crosses, including the half crosses all to traverse two intersections. All because there is no crosswalk crossing Stoughton Rd in front of Kwik Trip from Anderson St. where the City Bike Route now ends. 

It would be much easier and most importantly far safer for me and other multiple users if there would be a painted fluorescent green crosswalk with reflective white stripes from Anderson Rd to the Kwik Trip side of Stoughton Rd. 

This way there would be only one cross instead of five. The traffic lights at Stoughton Road and  Anderson St should be timed to allow multiple users to cross safely, e.g.,, 25-30 seconds like other major intersections, including East Washington Ave at Fourth St. and East Johnson St. at First St.

Right now the situation is very dangerous as indicated above with five crosses in heavy, speeding traffic. 

My understanding is that Vision Zero and the Infrastructure Act would fund these needed improvements for the many users, including Madison College students, and other users, including those following the city Bike Route, who want a safe link across Stoughton Rd to Kwik Trip, Reindahl Park, East Towne Mall and East Madison retail.   

It is time to firm up this weak link in the area’s Bike Route as soon as possible to properly protect all users with safe infrastructure.