Madison leaders could soon approve contentious Regent Street redesign

A proposed redesign of Regent Street near Camp Randall Stadium is heading to Madison’s City Council for potential approval, but not without controversy or testing of new roadway design guidelines.

City planners aim to turn one of Madison’s cultural hubs and major east-west connecting routes into a more pedestrian-friendly “community main street.”

Plans for the overhaul, prompted by deteriorating pavement and failing underground infrastructure like storm sewers, include widening existing sidewalks from 6 feet to 9 feet and adding more trees along the street. Those goals have drawn widespread support at public meetings since January, with a November city survey showing “safety for all users” and “pedestrian amenities” as residents’ top two priorities.

The rest of the planning process has proved trickier, as Regent Street is roughly two feet narrower than many comparable routes. Residents pushed back on several versions of the plan over the availability of on-street parking and loading zones, as well as the lack of on-street bike lanes, resulting in more than 40 written comments and multiple hours-long discussions at city committees...

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RSK: Not without its problems and some give and take on all sides. But it will be an improvement to what is there now.