Monday Morning Round Up 2/2/26

Good morning,

The snowfall that started yesterday (Sunday) at approximately 7:00p.m. ended prior to midnight. The light snowfall and wintry mix  (around 0.3 inches) from that event must be cleared from all public sidewalks by noon (12:00 p.m.) on Monday, February 02, 2026.

Prompt snow removal is essential to ensure the safety of everyone using public sidewalks. Do not rely on outdoor temperatures or salt to keep sidewalks free of snow and ice.

Please remember that public sidewalks including curb-ramps -if any- must be kept free of snow and ice, regardless of the source of the accumulation. If any ice remains that you cannot remove, please apply sand or another safe traction material.

Free sand for residents is available at several locations around Madison to keep sidewalks safe.

Visit our  City Winter Sidewalks website for more information and to learn about snow removal best practices and frequent asking question (FAQs).

Thank you for helping to keep our sidewalks safe!

Bottom Line

Chances for light snow this afternoon through evening. Plows will be out on the salt routes. Stay alert when making your way through Madison tonight.

What’s the weather doing?

Chances for snow begin around noon today and last until the overnight hours.

This is expected to be a light snow that may stop and start through the afternoon and into the evening, if it even arrives at all. While we are likely to receive snow today, the forecasts far from guarantee it.

Overall, accumulation is expected to be minor with around a half inch at most.

Streets Division’s Response

Streets Division plows will be dispatched to the salt routes when conditions require it. Crews will be applying salt and plowing these main thoroughfares as needed. And plows will remain on these routes throughout the night once they are deployed.

What to Expect on Your Travels

Plan on needing some extra travel time this afternoon and evening just in case the light snow arrives as predicted and makes your commuting experience a little bit more taxing. Even a little bit of snow can make things slippery. Remember to stay alert, stay patient, and be slow. And, as always, make good choices.

Today’s snow event is expected to be relatively minor, especially for Wisconsin. A citywide plowing operation is not expected to be necessary and the plows, when dispatched, will stick to the salt routes this afternoon and through the evening.

The first few flakes could even melt on contact with the pavement, especially if the snow begins in the early afternoon. Our pavement temperature sensors show that we could have road temps above freezing.

Monitoring Conditions

Streets Division staff will be monitoring the roads and the weather. Operations will adjust as conditions require.

We are excited to bring you unique content from local experts each day with Wisconsin Salt Week offered livestreams and recordings, paired with local expert content from the City of Madison Engineering Division.

Less Salty 2026: with Phil Gaebler 

Today’s Episode: Contractor Selection 

Not everyone does their own winter maintenance. If you hire a contractor, make sure:

• the contractor has completed the Winter Salt Wise Certification
• make sure you’re paying for level of service, not just the amount of salt put down
• make sure the contractor measures the amount of salt used and record it

Our focus with Less Salty with Phil Gaebler is to help property owners learn how to minimize salt use, know when to use salt and how, plus making sure companies you hire, neighbors and community know about responsible salt use in the City of Madison. 

Phil Gaebler is a stormwater engineer with decades of experience in the environmental engineering world. He works for the City of Madison Engineering Division and kickstarted the City with Wisconsin SaltWise with the inception of the now-statewide group. He’s also tasked with completing in-house training for all City salt crews on salt calibration, salt use and more, which helps inform City leaders make decisions on salt use implications, citations, use on roads, sidewalks and more. 

Winter Salt Week Offered Recording

Don’t miss out on the livestream recordings from the Winter Salt Week team. They offered new topics all week long discussing with national salt experts sharing their expertise and experiences that have proved successful in their communities.

Today’s topics were Salt Monitoring 101 and Advocating for Change.

Watch each of the discussions recordings here:

Salt Monitoring 101 recording

Advocating for Change recording

Happy Winter Salt Week!

Quarter 1 2026 Update
The required demolition was complete in Quarter 4 2025.  The site is clear of all buildings and underground piping. The Contractor performed progress grading and will complete grading and seeding this spring.  The fence will be put up for auction in the Spring and removed by the Contractor if there is not a successful bidder.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Jan. 26, 2026 Public Information Meeting. The meeting materials are now available:

• Jan. 26, 2026 Public Information Meeting Recording
• Jan. 26, 2026 Public Information Meeting Presentation

Quarter 1 2026 Update
The housing development and construction partner are topped out and have removed their crane from the site.  They continue to work on interior finishes.  The garage and housing above will receive certificate of occupancy together and are targeting end of Quarter 2 2026.  The garage contractor will remobilize to site this spring to complete the elevator install, life safety systems, and all other finishes.

January 2026 Update
Construction activity at the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park continues to advance as the project moves into enclosure and interior build‑out phases. Crews are making progress across the site, with several major components approaching completion.

Site utility installation is nearing its final stages, supporting long‑term infrastructure for stormwater, sewer, and water service. On the building exterior, framing, blocking, and weatherproofing rough‑ins have been completed. Roofing installation is underway, and exterior storefront glazing is being installed, which has defined the building’s appearance.

Inside the facility, Phase 1 insulation work is nearly complete, preparing interior spaces for drywall installation, which is scheduled to begin within the next week. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems continue to progress as well. Phase 1 MEP rough‑ins and informal inspections have been completed, and Phase 2 MEP work is now beginning, supporting the next sequence of interior construction.

Project coordination remains active, with ongoing reviews, scheduling, and material planning to ensure smooth transitions between construction phases.

Reminder: Join us virtually tonight!

A public information meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Jan. 26, 2026, via Zoom. Registration prior is required.

Jan. 26, 2026 Public Information Meeting Registration

City Traffic Engineering and City Engineering presented the project to the Transportation Commission on December 5, 2026, to receive feedback and to share public engagement input from the September public meeting and survey.

Here is a link to the key takeaways from the September public engagement: Regent St Survey Key Takeaways

The Project status has been updated to BIDDING!  Please see the Project Schedule below for links to the bid documents.

The February Messenger is now available! A few programs you will want to check out are End of Life Planning, The Milton House Museum and our new Book Club.

February is Black History Month! You will see a number of programs offered that highlight Black history and culture.

DEMOLITION NOTICES

110 E Rusk Ave

This is a notice that Amy Landis will be filing a demolition permit application. The application will be submitted around February 4, 2026 or later. The applicant seeks to demolish a Two Story Government-Law Enforcement. The address is 110 E Rusk Ave Madison, WI 53713.

The City’s Landmarks Commission provides an advisory review of all demolition applications. The Landmarks Commission will determine if the building has historic value. If it has historic value, then the Plan Commission will review the application. The Plan Commission will hold a public hearing when they review the application. If it has no known historic value, the Director of Building Inspection may approve the application.

For more information about this application, please contact the applicant, Amy Landis, GRAEF, 1010 E Washington Ave Suite 202 Madison, WI 53703-3130 at amy.landis@graef-usa.com or (608)245-1962.

Applicant’s Comments:

Demolition of the Ferris Center (Dane County Sheriff’s building). Project limited to building demolition, utility disconnections, sewer plug, erosion controls, and basic restoration of the site in the footprint of the building.
No pavement demolition, tree removals, or construction in right-of-way. Demolition will clear space for future Alliant Energy Center construction projects, none of which are pursuing permits at this time.

If you have any questions about the City’s application review process, please contact the City of Madison Planning Division at (608) 266-4635.

2030 Pennsylvania Ave

This is a notice that Joey Wisniewski will be filing a demolition permit application. The application will be submitted around February 9, 2026 or later. The applicant seeks to demolish a Commercial/Industrial. The address is 2030 Pennsylvania Ave Madison, WI 53704.

The City’s Landmarks Commission provides an advisory review of all demolition applications. The Landmarks Commission will determine if the building has historic value. If it has historic value, then the Plan Commission will review the application. The Plan Commission will hold a public hearing when they review the application. If it has no known historic value, the Director of Building Inspection may approve the application.

For more information about this application, please contact the applicant, Joey Wisniewski, 1840A N Farwell Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 at joey@newlandmke.com or (414)698-6383.

Applicant’s Comments:

Existing buildings at 2030 Pennsylvania Avenue were most recently used as light industrial, storage, and office space, and for police training. The southern building is a 1-story massing consisting of several connected building additions of varying age, heights, and building materials. The north building is a 1-story massing of a traditional industrial building. A reuse and recycling plan will be submitted prior to deconstruction. It is not feasible to reuse or move the buildings.

If you have any questions about the City’s application review process, please contact the City of Madison Planning Division at (608) 266-4635.

PARKS NEWSLETTER

Athletic Field and Court Reservations Starting Monday, February 16 at 10:00am, athletic field and court reservations for the 2026 season will be open to the public. We recommend logging in or creating an account before opening day by visiting WebTrac! Four park athletic fields will be closed for rehabilitation this season: Badger Park – multipurpose field Brittingham Park – multipurpose fields 1 and 2 Lucia Crest Park – multipurpose field Walnut Grove Park – multipurpose fields 1, 2, and 3

Olbrich Botanical Gardens Future Olbrich Botanical Gardens is stewarding a comprehensive planning process to guide future growth; address facility needs and align priorities with our community. Together, we’re imagining what the Gardens can become and planning the path forward. See Olbrich.org/future for more information, including an online survey and future public workshops.

We are excited to bring you unique content from local experts each day with statewide live webinars at 12:30 p.m. on YouTube all week long.

Less Salty 2026: with Phil Gaebler

Today’s Episode: 1 Teaspoon

One teaspoon of salt doesn’t look like much, but it’s enough salt, when mixed with water of a five-gallon bucket, to contaminate the water so much that it would not support most lake life.

When salt washes into our waters it puts aquatic life and freshwater at risk.

Once you put salt down, it doesn’t go away.  Salt harms soil and plant health and corrodes our roads, bridges, and vehicles. It travels into our lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands, putting aquatic life at risk and endangering our freshwater resources.

A 12 oz. cup of salt is enough to treat an entire 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.

A little goes a long way. Salt stays in the environment for a long time, and it does damage the whole journey through the system for years to come.

Our focus with Less Salty with Phil Gaebler is to help property owners learn how to minimize salt use, know when to use salt and how, plus making sure companies you hire, neighbors and community know about responsible salt use in the City of Madison. 

Phil Gaebler is a stormwater engineer with decades of experience in the environmental engineering world. He works for the City of Madison Engineering Division and kickstarted the City with Wisconsin SaltWise with the inception of the now-statewide group. He’s also tasked with completing in-house training for all City salt crews on salt calibration, salt use and more, which helps inform City leaders make decisions on salt use implications, citations, use on roads, sidewalks and more. 

Winter Salt Week Offered Livestream Today! 

While we’ll be sharing a new episode of Less Salty each day this week, don’t miss out on the livestreams over the lunch hour each day with national salt experts sharing their expertise and experiences that have proved successful in their communities.

Today’s topic: Engineering Solutions

The free webinar starts at 12:30 p.m., central time. They’ll be streaming live on YouTube:

Information on the free webinar:

Discover how innovative engineering can dramatically reduce the need for winter salt. This webinar will highlight design approaches—such as optimized grading, drainage, and material choices—that set the stage for safer, more efficient winter maintenance. We’ll also explore the growing role of smart sensors and connected infrastructure in tracking conditions in real time. Finally, learn how AI-driven storm management tools can support crews in making faster, more precise decisions that keep surfaces safe while minimizing salt use.

Presenters: Connie Fortin, Bolton & Menk, Wilf Nixon, Professional Snowfighters Association

Happy Winter Salt Week!

Family Winter Prom is coming right up and is a great example of a true partnership between Monona Terrace, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Madison Parks, and the Madison Public Library. Each group plays an important role, and together we create a warm, welcoming winter event for families across Madison. It is one of those moments where collaboration across City agencies really shines.

This is where you come in. We are seeking volunteers during the event on Saturday, February 7. This indoor, family-friendly event features music, crafts, light refreshments, and plenty of dancing. It is designed for children 13 and under with an accompanying adult. Volunteers will receive free parking as a thank you for their time and support.

• Volunteer Info & Registration
• Winter Prom for more event info and to purchase tickets online, just $10 per family.

County Board Chair Announces Appointment of Amy Larson to Represent Supervisory District 15 

DANE COUNTY, Wis. — On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, County Board Chair Patrick Miles announced the appointment of Amy Larson to the Dane County Board of Supervisors representing Supervisory District 15 on the far west side of Madison and the south side of Middleton. Yesterday evening, Chair Miles held a public hearing regarding the county board vacancy created by the resignation of former Supervisor April Kigeya.

Amy Larson is a retired U.S. Navy captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) after 25 years of service to our country. A Fulbright scholar, Larson brings experience in law, public service, and governance. She currently serves on the City of Middleton Workforce Housing Committee and is engaged in local efforts to address housing and community needs.

The county board will consider the appointment of Larson at its next meeting on Thursday, February 5, 2026. Upon board approval, Larson will be sworn in and participate in the remainder of the meeting.

Larson will serve as supervisor for an interim period until the next spring election is held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be appointed to represent District 15 on the Dane County Board,” said Larson regarding the announcement. “I look forward to listening to community members, working collaboratively with my colleagues, and contributing thoughtfully to county decision-making.”

Less Salty 2026: Deicing with Salt

We are excited to bring you unique content from local experts each day with statewide live webinars at 12:30 p.m. on YouTube all week long.

Less Salty 2026: with Phil Gaebler

Today’s Episode: Deicing with Salt

After you’ve removed as much snow and ice with your winter kit tools, salt may be a good option to break through the last bit of ice. If you do need to use salt, a little goes a long way. Make sure to do a light sprinkle, making sure there is space between each granule.

Less Salty 2026 Deicer Salt

Our focus with Less Salty with Phil Gaebler is to help property owners learn how to minimize salt use, know when to use salt and how, plus making sure companies you hire, neighbors and community know about responsible salt use in the City of Madison. 

Phil Gaebler is a stormwater engineer with decades of experience in the environmental engineering world. He works for the City of Madison Engineering Division and kickstarted the City with Wisconsin SaltWise with the inception of the now-statewide group. He’s also tasked with completing in-house training for all City salt crews on salt calibration, salt use and more, which helps inform City leaders make decisions on salt use implications, citations, use on roads, sidewalks and more. 

Winter Salt Week Offered Livestream Today! 

While we’ll be sharing a new episode of Less Salty each day this week, don’t miss out on the livestreams over the lunch hour each day with national salt experts sharing their expertise and experiences that have proved successful in their communities.

Today’s topic: Saltwise Stories

The free webinar starts at 12:30 p.m., central time, and it’ll be streaming live on YouTube here:

Winter Salt Week 2026: Salt Wise Stories

Info on the free webinar:

Hear directly from winter maintenance practitioners who have made the shift to smarter salting. In this webinar, they’ll share how they built the business case for change—reducing costs, improving efficiency, and protecting local waters. You’ll learn how they retooled their operations, from equipment upgrades to staff training, and what results they’ve seen on the ground. These leaders now pay it forward by educating peers, supporting contractors, and inspiring communities to adopt Salt Wise practices of their own.

Presenters: Phill Sexton, WIT Advisers, and Aron Rodman, Extra Mile Snow Plowing

Happy Winter Salt Week!

This content is free for use with credit to City of Madison Engineering.

View full blog post

TAX ASSISTANCE

Richard Dilley Tax Center – 2238 S. Park St Madison WI- offers free tax preparation services for low-income individuals and families, people with disabilities, English Language Learners, and seniors.  Please review the website and/or brochure to see which types of returns are not allowed to be processed at the volunteer-run site.

All updated information, printable brochures, appointment sign-up, and information about other free options can be found at our website: https://dane.extension.wisc.edu/finances/rdtc/

You do not need to log in or create an account to make an appointment. One appointment per person. If you are helping someone sign up, please enter their name and contact information.

• If you are unable to sign up online please call (608) 283-1261.  Spanish spoken.
• Calls are answered Monday- Friday from 8:00-4:30