Madison lowers speed limit on John Nolen Dr., more changes coming

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Traffic will be going a little slower on a stretch of John Nolen Drive starting Monday morning – and that’s the plan. Starting that day, the speed limit on the Madison artery will drop from 45 mph to 35 mph between North Shore Drive and East Lakeside Street.

The reduction comes as part of Madison’s Vision Zero initiative that aims to reduce the number of injury crashes and includes lowering speed limits on main roads across the Wisconsin capital. According to the city’s statistics, five people have been seriously hurt in crashes on that stretch of John Nolen Dr. since 2016, and fifteen more suffered minor injuries.

“Lowering speed limits and redesigning streets to support safer driving is critical to ending serious and fatal crashes on our city streets,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “John Nolen Drive is one of the most beautiful entrances to downtown Madison – it should be the safest as well.”

The speed limit change next week is the second one of the year that comes as a result of the Vision Zero plan, the city explained. The first was along East Washington Ave., east of Stoughton Road, which shaved five miles off its 40-mph speed limit. Still to come this year are four more, which will see speed limits fall as low as 25 mph.

The ones still planned by the city are:f