🏃 Avoid these roads during Madison Marathon

🏃 These Streets Will Be Closed for the Madison Marathon

• With a wintry mix in Sunday’s forecast, it won’t be a good day for driving or for running the Madison Marathon. Numerous downtown streets will be closed for the marathon, which begins on the Capitol Square and goes through the UW Arboretum, Vilas Park, and around Lake Monona.
• Many downtown roads will be fully or partially closed Sunday for the race, and a few other roads around the square will be closed following the Dane County Farmers Market on Saturday to set up the start and finish lines. All roads will be reopened by Sunday evening. [WMTV, Madison Marathon, City of Madison]

⛔ Willy Street Experiment Is Here To Stay

• An experiment to close the rush-hour lanes on WIlliamson Street proved successful enough that the city’s Transportation Committee is making the closures permanent.
• After a rash of vehicular crashes on the busy street, the city turned the section of the road between South Blount Street and South Thornton Avenue into a one-lane road each way to see if it slowed down traffic.
• The results, despite a snafu involving the radar equipment, was positive enough that the committee is making them permanent, and considering extending the closures further east on Willy Street. [Cap Times, 📝 City Cast Madison, Isthmus]

🐦 Wisco Birder Named Academy Director of Sciences

• Dexter Patterson, the author and UW-Madison professor known as the “Wisco Birder,” has been named the director of sciences and climate for the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters.
• In its mission statement, the Academy “connects, inspires, and advances Wisconsin thought and culture by fostering learning, collaboration, and connection.” That philosophy dovetails with Patterson’s work as a faculty member with UW-Madison’s Department of Life Sciences Communication, training scientists and researchers to share their work with the public in meaningful ways.
• Patterson, a favorite guest of the City Cast Madison podcast, recently published his new book “Birds of the Great Lakes.” “My goal is to help connect the dots between the pressing climate challenges and solutions across our state,” he said in a statement about his appointment. “Ultimately, uplifting the voices and stories that show what’s possible when we work together.” [Madison 365, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

💰 County Board Approves ‘Compromise’ $916M Budget

• Facing a steep $31 million deficit, the Dane County Board signed off on a $916 million budget that board supervisors say is a compromise between being fiscally disciplined and maintaining services that county residents depend on.
• The budget includes a 1.29% increase to the tax levy, which would mean a $15 hike for the owner of the average Madison home valued at $481,300. Next, the budget goes for final approval from County Executive Melissa Agard, who said that changes made by committees to her proposed budget will set the county up for “unmanageable” cuts next year.
• 🎧 Behind the numbers: We talk about the county budget, and a controversial local news story related to it that had to be retracted, on the Friday news roundup on the City Cast Madison podcast. We also cover the continued chaos over SNAP benefits and tell you what new restaurant in Madison offers free Skee-ball! [Madison 365, 🎧City Cast Madison]

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