Madison’s pedestrian mall experiment closes State Street to cars starting Wednesday, May 8, volunteers help prepare the area to welcome visitors
It’s being dubbed #FlockToState by Madison officials, as a pedestrian mall experiment prepares to get underway along the 400-600 blocks of State Street on Wednesday, May 8.
The pedestrian mall, from Gorham Street to Hawthorne Court, will be closed to all non-emergency traffic starting at 3 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Delivery trucks and others will be able to access specific blocks of the pedestrian mall at 4 a.m. each day, until the mall closes to traffic at the times noted. Drivers will be able to travel normally on cross streets even when the pedestrian mall is open.
The experiment comes just in time for the first night market of the season on Thursday, May 9. It’s also graduation weekend at U.W. Madison. There are many other events planned around the pedestrian mall area throughout the summer, along with businesses on State Street.
A painting event on State Street in late April, brought together more than 600 people. The volunteers added murals, stencils, and polka dots in vibrant, and often pink colors, to go along with the Flamingo theme. New benches, planters, and sculptures continue to be added to the area.
The pedestrian mall is expected to remain open with regular hours through October. The city council will then consider continuing the experiment or expanding it in the future.
More Articles
New legislative districts in NW Wisconsin give Dems a better chance in 2024, experts say
5/17/2024 | Hina Suzuki / The Badger Project
A Tyrannosaurus Rex took a big blue bite out of the 73rd Assembly District in Douglas County and spit it into the neighboring district. That’s how some commenters described the change to the 73rd after Republicans redrew it before the 2022 election. The GOP swapped those bluer areas with rural, Republican-leaning parts of Burnett County […]
New, compacted political maps in Marathon County boot long-time legislator from old district
5/17/2024 | Hina Suzuki / The Badger Project
The new maps separated the towns of Schofield and Rothschild from the new 85th District and put them into the 87th.
Oldest UWM Honors College Graduate
5/17/2024
A former Richland Center resident has found herself in a prestigious minority. JoAnne Potter, 72 of Milwaukee, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree at UW-Milwaukee. After living in Richland Center for more than 20 years, JoAnne moved back to Milwaukee in 2020. After getting settled, in 2022 she decided to go back to college to […]
8th Congressional District to have 2 elections on fall ballots
5/17/2024 | Lisa M. Hale
Two elections for the 8th Congressional District will be on the same ballot and the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) is trying to find a way to explain the elections to avoid voter confusion.
Pianos + Art + Music equals Keys to the City
5/17/2024 | Lisa M. Hale
This weekend a unique live art and music festival will take to public locations throughout the Green Bay community. The Keys to the City Painted Piano Festival features music from local artists, donated pianos, live art by area artists, and culminates in the unveiling of five new, interactive art installations throughout the city.