MADISON, Wis. — The City of Madison says approximately 2.5 miles of Mineral Point Rd. on Madison’s west side is the next stretch of road that will see speed limit reductions beginning next week as part of the Vision Zero plan.
Starting Monday, August 29, Mineral Point Rd. between S. Whitney Way and the Beltline will see its speed limit drop from 40 mph to 35 mph. Digital signs as well as updated permanent speed limit signs will be in place to alert drivers to the change, which city officials say should not add to travel times.
The city says a total of 15 people have suffered serious injuries due to crashes on Mineral Point Rd. since 2016, and four others died. The people killed included two pedestrians who were hit by vehicles and a fatal bicycle crash earlier this summer.
RELATED: Cyclist killed in fatal crash on Mineral Point Road
“It was heartbreaking that we lost one of our community members when he was riding his bike to work on this stretch of the road, after being hit by a vehicle on June 7,” Yang Tao, head of the City’s Traffic Engineering Division, said in a release announcing the speed limit reduction. “Lowering speed limit and improving pedestrian and bicycle accommodations here will help prevent tragedies like this from happening again.”
In addition to lowering the speed limit, city officials say more changes are in store for that stretch of Mineral Point Rd. in the coming years, including a shared-use path to increase protection for bicyclists and pedestrians, and safety improvements at the intersection of Mineral Point Rd. and High Point Rd. that will be funded by a federal grant.
RELATED: City says speed limit reductions are helping reduce traffic deaths
The lower speed limit on Mineral Point Rd. will be the third speed limit reduction in Madison this year as part of the Vision Zero plan, which aims to reduce traffic-related deaths to zero. Speed limits on E. Washington Ave. between Stoughton Rd. and the interstate were dropped to 35 mph to July and speed limits on John Nolen Dr. from Northshore Dr. to E. Lakeside St. were dropped to 35 mph in August.
Three more speed limit reductions are still being planned for this year, including stretches of Old Sauk Rd., Portage Rd., and Segoe Rd.
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