🚧 Road closures start today

⛪ Madison Bishop Welcomes First American Pope

• Madison Bishop Donald Hying said that it was a complete surprise that the Vatican selected the first American pope and the first Midwestern pope last week to lead the Catholic Church.
• But it was a welcome surprise that Pope Leo XIV, who is from Chicago, was chosen, and Hying said he’s excited for the day when an American pope visits America. “It’s a remarkable day in the history of the church,” Hying said. [WKOW, City Cast Chicago]

🚧 Small But Significant Road Closures Coming This Week

• Starting today, the section of North Randall Avenue between Campus Drive and West Dayton Street will be closed for a UW chilled water underground utility replacement project. The reconstruction project is expected to last until late August.
• Also closing starting today is South Bedford Street at North Shore Drive to construct the path for a raised crossing on Bedford. That closure is expected to last about a month, and vehicles are encouraged to access South Bedford and nearby streets via West Washington Avenue. [City of Madison]

💰 City Looks for Financial Aid for Voit Farm

• The Madison City Council unanimously okayed creating a tax increment financing (TIF) district to help finance a 25-acre housing development that would bring nearly 1,000 units to Madison’s east side.
• The property is part of the 68 acres of land off Milwaukee Street known as Voit Farm, one of the last large undeveloped swaths of land within the city limits. TIF districts are created for developments that require city assistance.
• Starkweather LLC purchased the empty farmland for $8 million last year. Under its agreement with the city, construction has to start by April 2026. [Isthmus]