This proposal seeks to reduce car crashes on Willy St.

MADISON, Wis. (WMDX) – The city of Madison’s Transportation Commission will meet Wednesday to decide on a proposal that aims to reduce car crashes on Willy St.

The commission will consider a trial program for ending rush hour lanes on Willy Street. The road opens to two lanes of traffic during rush hour: parking is prohibited on one side of the street during the morning rush hour, and residents are not allowed to park on the other side of the street during the evening rush hour.

The proposal before the Transportation Commission would remove the parking ban, eliminating the extra lane available during rush hour. The change has been championed by the Marquette Neighborhood Association. 

The renewed call for action is a response to multiple car crashes into Willy Street businesses. A vehicle hit Mother Fools Cafe in May, marking the third time the restaurant has been struck. While there were no injuries this spring, an incident in 2016 injured three people inside. It also destroyed their mosaic. 

Several businesses have been hit over the years. The Willy Street Treasure Shop was hit in 2022, and the Capital Times reported that it narrowly missed the shop’s owner. Change Boutique was hit in 2021 and was closed for months. The same for Ha Long Bay in 2018. 

There have been other close calls. According to a presentation from traffic engineers earlier this month, there have been 122 crashes on Willy Street in the last five years. Over a quarter of the collisions injured someone. 

A much larger thoroughfare nearby – East Washington Avenue – had less than double the number of crashes in the same five years. It had 211 crashes, including one where someone died. 

The city’s traffic engineers, though, caution that the proposal on Willy St could have limited success. They say there’s little commonality in what caused the crashes so far, and why they happened. 

Tonight’s transportation meeting starts at 5 p.m. You can watch it on City Channel.