Bike rally calls for permanent change in safety on E. Washington Ave.

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Area groups gathered in front of the Madison Municipal Building this morning to call for city officials to make downtown Madison safer.

The “Safe Streets. Save Lives” rally spoke out that speed enforcement is no longer enough to keep East Washington Ave. safe and community members now want to see a permanent change.

Madison’s busy downtown avenue has been the site of four traffic deaths this year in addition to the 1,000 citations and warnings given in June and July.

The event was organized by Madison Bikes, Freewheel Bike Shop, UW Madison Bipoc Coalition and the Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America.

“My partner also rides his bike a lot and I think about every time he leaves the house,” says Dayna Long of the Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America. “Wanting him to be okay, like, wanting to trust that he’s gonna come back and be fine and mostly people are fine, but any one injury any one death is one too many.”

Copyright 2021 WMTV. All rights reserved.