yahara river parkway master plan june 1998

8/13/2019 Yahara River Parkway Master Plan June 1998

1/96

Master PlanJune 1998

Yahara River Parkwayand Environs


2/96

Ya

ha

ra Rive

r Pa

rkway Committe

e

Ald. Barbara Vedder, District 2Ald. Judy Olson, District 6Rick BernsteinLouis FortisEd JepsenRuss LerumAlison MaderSheri ReinDavid WallnerBert Zipperer

S

pe

cial tha

nks to City, Da

ne County, a

nd S

ta

te of

Wi s

cons

in s

ta

ff; Unive

rs

ity of Wis

c

ons

in; ne

ighborhoodre

s

ide

nts

; bus

ine

s

s repres

e

nta

tives; a

nd cons

ultants w

hocontributed to the pre

paration of this plan.

Engine

e

ring: Rob Phillips

P

a

rks Division: Bill Bauer and Si Widstrand

Tra

ffic Engine

e

ring: Dan McCormick and Arthur Ross

Urban Open Space Foundation, Lance and Carole Zellie, PeggyChung, Strand Engineering, UW-M adison Landscape

Architectural Department, Former Mayor Paul Soglin

S

us

a

n J.M . Bauma

n, M a

yor

George E. Austin, Director, Department of Planning & DevelopmentBradley J. Murphy, Director, Planning Unit

Mark A. Olinger, Principal Planner, Planning Unit

Proje

c

t S

ta

ffArchie Nicolette, Planner IIKitty Rankin, Planner IIIZach Holl, Planning Aide

Bill Lanier, Planning TechnicianMaria Ruggieri-Moen, Planning Technician

Debora Morgan, Program Assistant III

This pla

n is de

dica

te

d to the me

mory of J

ohn Urich (Principa

l P

la

nner) whoworked t irele

s

s

ly to be

autify this are

a of Madis

on, as we

ll as the e

nti re cit y.

City of Madison, 1998

The Yahara River Parkway and Tenney Park were built wi th the generosity, sacrifi ces, and foresight of our forefathers at the turn of the century. I t is

the same foresight, communi ty spir i t, and commitment the Yahara River Parkway Committee is asking from the communi ty, city, and other

governmental bodies in restoring the best of the past and bui lding for the future for this special place to endure for another century.


3/96

Ta

b

le of Co

nte

nts

P

a

rt I Overv

ie

w

Int roduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Executive Summary of Recommendati ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Planning Mi ssion and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Histor ical Perspective on Planning for t he Yahara River Parkway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Study Area Descript ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Yahara River and Four Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Air Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19East Isthmus/Yahara Neighborhoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Yahara Area Parks and Open Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Sit e Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

P

a

rt II P

ublicly Owne

d La

nds

Recommendati ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29East Johnson and East Washington Bike/Pedestr ian Underpasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30West Riverside Bike/Pedestr ian Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

i


4/96

Thornton Avenue Alternatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35Burr Jones Field Area Redevelopment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37East Riverside Foot Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Park Stewardship, Landscape, and Hi storic Preservation Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46Educational Signage and Outdoor Educational Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Parkway Focal Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Concept Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54Design Vocabulary and Site Amenities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Pa

rt III Priva

tely Owned La

nds

Private Development Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Pa

rt IV Imple

menta

tion a

nd Fina

nce P

la

n

Implementation and Finance Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Appendice

s

Reference Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79Boat Count Through Tenney Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81Census Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83Yahara River Corridor Priority List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Transportation Report on the Trial Closing of Thornton Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88Strand Letter on Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Excerpts from the Tenney Park and the Yahara River Parkway Report (preservation plan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103Public Hearing and Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Resolut ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Photographs on front cover: 1) aeri al vi ew of ri ver l ooki ng northwest t o Lake Mendota, 2 ) chil dren fi shi ng by the East Johnson

Str eet bri dge, and 3) M adison Recreati on pontoon boat on the Yahara River.

(Photographs from the Madison Park and Pleasure D ri ve Associati on Report by Charl es N . Br own. Al l other photographs and

graphi cs by Archie Ni colette, except where noted.)

ii


5/96

Pa

r

t I

Overview


6/96

1

Introduc

tion

Community Re

s

o

urce a

nd S

e

tting

The Yahara River Parkway is a mile-long, community-wideresource situated on the easterly end of the isthmus that connectsLake Mendota to Lake Monona. This is the only segment of theYahara River to traverse an urban setting in Madison. Fewprecious recreational resources provide so many uniqueopportunities for stewardship and transformation that are so closeto so many people. The Parkway was created in the early 1900sunder the sponsorship of the Madison Park and Pleasure DriveAssociation, with hopes to create open space with paths andcarriage trails to enjoy views and vistas of the river and the lush

plantings along its banks. The ideals of health, beauty anddemocracy of the 19th-century park movement were embodied inthe goals of the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association.The Associations legacy is still shaping our ideas of the park

though they have been translated into our 20th-centuryvocabulary. The Yahara River corridor will be planned with thatlegacy and spirit in mind.

In 1996, Moneymagazine rated Madison the number oneAmerican city in which to live because of the many attributesavailable to citizens: bicycle and walking paths, water-orientedrecreational opportunities, lake views, safety, friendliness, well-defined neighborhoods, and many others. The Yahara Rivercorridor potentially embodies many of the qualities people find

One of the unique features of

Madison and one possessing

great possibilit ies for thebeautifying of the city is the

Yahara River.This river and its

banks should be reclaimed for

the people of this city.

Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association

Report of the Officers

April 1903


7/96

charming and attractive about Madison. The planning effort willset a course in transforming and enhancing this area into arecreational jewel. It will also seek to add compatible housing andcommercial development into the existing neighborhood over thenext ten to fifteen years.

Why this renewed focus on the Yahara River Parkway?Whilecitizens, civic groups, landscape architects, and urban planners

have suggested planning concepts for the Yahara River Parkwayfor over a century, the Yahara River Parkway Concept Plan had itsmost recent beginnings in the 1994 Marquette-Schenk-AtwoodNeighborhood Planand the 1995 Tenney-Lapham/Old Market PlaceNeighborhood Plan. Both neighborhood plans identified theYahara River corridor as a priority planning area andrecommended a comprehensive study to identify potential ways toenhance the Parkway as an aesthetic, recreational, and social assetfor neighborhood and City residents. In addition, both plansemphasize the importance of enhancing the Parkway as an

environmental and historic asset. Perhaps most importantly, bothplans highlight the need to provide safe and convenient bike andpedestrian connections between all of the adjacent east isthmusneighborhoods, the Yahara River Parkway, and a user-friendlynetwork of public parks. As both plans suggest, the key to makingthese connections is the Yahara River Parkway itself a naturalcross-isthmus connector between neighborhoods.

Yahara River Parkway Steering Committee. In July 1995, the Cityof Madison Common Council acted on the recommendations ofthese neighborhood plans by authorizing the creation of theYahara River Parkway Ad Hoc Steering Committee (YRPCommittee) to prepare a concept plan for the Yahara RiverParkway in partnership with the Department of Planning andDevelopment. After accepting nominations from citizens and

community leaders, the Mayor appointed 10 YRP Committeemembers to seek extensive input from citizens and guidance frompast planning efforts in developing the Yahara River ParkwayMaster Plan.

The Planning Philosophy

The planning philosophy and approach to the Yahara Riverenvirons falls into three basic concepts. These concepts were usedthroughout the planning process.

1. The plan will stay true to the spir i t of the ori ginal plandeveloped in the early 1900s for the parkland.

2. A comprehensive approachwill be utilized by integrating theopen space and bike/pedestrian/vehicular circulation with landuses that will contribute and enhance the character and qualityof the existing neighborhoods.

3. Encourage publi c participationto ensure the plan isrepresentative of the wish of the citizens and three adjacentneighborhoods (see Public Participation section on page 9).

2

Jeni fer Street Pedestr ian Bridge is an example of the community worki ng wi th the City

to construct a quali ty pedestr ian bridge in keeping with the character of the corri dor


8/96

Executive Summary of Recommendations

The map on page 7 summarizes the concept used to develop themaster plan and recommendations. The Executive SummaryRecommendations are listed in the order of importance. The YRPCommittee feels the first three recommendations have the highestpriority and create the spine for the other recommendations tobecome more effective. Over the next decade, weaving togetherthe original O.C. Simonds plan with this new master plan willcreate a bright future for the Yahara River corridor.

1. East Johnson and East Washington Bike/PedestrianUnderpasses. Accomplishing the goal of safe bike/pedestrianuse of the Yahara River Parkway will require safe crossing

measures at the two primary arterial streets on the east side ofthe isthmus: East Johnson Street and East WashingtonAvenue. Daily vehicular traffic volumes where these streetsintersect the Yahara River are among the highest in the City ofMadison. According to 1995 average daily traffic counts, theYahara River is crossed by approximately 32,000 vehicles perday on East Johnson Street and 50,000 vehicles per day onEast Washington Avenue. Pedestrian underpasses at thesestreets including a recommended west riverside underpass

for the proposed bike/pedestrian route and east riversideunderpass for the proposed footpath is needed to create asafe bike and pedestrian access through the Yahara RiverParkway. The Committee also recommends improved at-gradecrossings at Johnson and Washington to provide safe crossingsat times of low traffic volume.

2. West Riverside Bike-Pedestrian Path. A central recommendationof the YRP Committee is to create a continuous bike/pedestrianpath on the west side of the Yahara River extending from LakeMendota to Lake Monona. With bike/pedestrian underpasses atEast Johnson Street and East Washington Avenue, this routewould meet the need for a safe, formal cross-isthmustransportation option for pedestrians and bicyclists; provide aconnection between existing bike/pedestrian routes; and provide

multiple access points to the Yahara River Parkway and its scenicand recreational assets.

Connecti ons to Exi sti ng Bike/Pedestr ian Routes. The proposedYahara Parkway bike/pedestrian path should provide safe andwell-marked connections to existing bike routes, including theMifflin Street, Isthmus, Johnson/Gorham, and ShermanAvenue bike routes/paths as well as existing state bike routes.

3. Thornton Avenue Alternatives. Thornton Avenue runs parallel

and directly adjacent to the west side of the Yahara RiverParkway. The YRP Committee recommends conversion ofThornton Avenue, wherever possible, to bike path and greenspace, and to Parkway amenities. Options that would increaseParkway green space, while allowing traffic flow and ensuringaccess for property owners, include creating turnarounds atappropriate points on Thornton Avenue, changing segments ofThornton Avenue from two-way to one-way traffic, and/oreliminating segments of Thornton Avenue.

3

Historic 1911 photo wi th the recent ly constructed Steensland Bri dge in background


9/96

4. Burr Jones Field Area Redevelopment (East Johnson Street toEast Washington Avenue). The YRP Committee recommendsa comprehensive redevelopment plan for the Burr Jones Fieldarea encompassing lands between East Johnson Street, EastWashington Avenue, the river, the City Garage, and the FioreCenter (see map at right) to reach its potential as a social and

recreational centerpiece of the Yahara River Parkway. AlthoughBurr Jones Field occupies an ideal open space site in the centerof the Isthmus along the Yahara River, its use is presentlylimited by inadequate and/or unsafe access for vehicles,bicycles, and pedestrians. Burr Jones Field also lacks screeningfrom adjacent commercial/industrial properties, EastWashington Avenue, and East Johnson Street. Its design as anathletic field makes minimal use of the Yahara River Parkwayas an aesthetic and recreational amenity. Acquisition ofadditional undeveloped properties on East Johnson Street;

improved access for pedestrians, vehicles, and bicycles; and theconstruction of a multi-purpose, water-based facility along theYahara River to integrate Burr Jones Field and the greaterYahara River Parkway are recommended. The YRP Committeerecommends developing a partnership with property ownersand facility users in the Burr Jones area including MadisonGas & Electric (M G& E), the University of Wisconsin AthleticDepartment, Fiore Shopping Center, and railroad owners toidentify redevelopment opportunities for Burr Jones Field andadjacent land parcels between East Johnson Street and East

Washington Avenue.

5. East Riverside Foot Trail. To increase access to the YaharaRiver Parkway and provide a slower-pace alternative to theproposed west riverside bike/pedestrian route, the YRPCommittee proposes a low-impact, unpaved foot trail on theeast side of the Yahara River extending from Lake Monona toTenney Park. A continuous foot trail would offer pedestriansthe opportunity to enjoy the east side of the Parkway whichis presently inaccessible and/or uninviting in several areas at a

leisurely pace while avoiding potential conflicts with faster-paced bicyclists, roller-bladers, and runners utilizing the westriverside bike/pedestrian route. There are also several pointsalong the proposed foot trail that are ideal sites for pedestrian-oriented educational amenities, such as informational signsdescribing environmental and historical aspects of the YaharaRiver Parkway. A key to the east riverside foot trail isacquisition of two privately-owned riverside land parcels lyingto the north of Winnebago Street.

6. Park Stewardship, Landscape and Historic PreservationPlanning. The YRP Committee feels that it is very importantto develop precise plans for the restoration of renownedlandscape architect Ossion Cole Simonds initial vision for thelandscape of the Yahara River Parkway and Tenney Park. At theheart of this vision is a planting and landscape plan thatemphasizes native plant species such as Viburnum, Hawthorne,Dogwood, and Elms organized in a prairie design. Acomprehensive redevelopment plan for the Yahara River

4

Looking north at the Burr Jones park site and the Yahara River


10/96

Parkway should utilize both Simonds historic vision and plantspecies native to the upper Midwest.To improve the visual appearance and natural feeling of theParkway and Park, collaboration with MG& E and the PublicService Commission (PSC) should proceed to place thepower lines and other utility lines underground.

The responsibility for enhancing and protecting the Parkwaycould be shared with the adjacent neighborhoods and the CityParks Division. By actively involving and training children,residents, club members, and other interested persons, theParkway could get the attention that is needed to maintain itsplant communities. To nurture the landscape environment, amanagement plan should be developed to guide the long-termsuccess of the Parkway and Park.

7. Educational Signage and Outdoor Educational Resource. TheYRP Committee recommends working with the schools tocreate an educational outdoor lab, located in the vicinity ofMarquette/OKeeffe Middle School, that would explainspecific plants, different types of birds, and whats in the water.The Committee also recommends utilizing the Yahara Rivercorridor as an educational resource to reveal the geological,Native American, and early settlers history, as well as the eco-system of the river corridor. A signage system would be used toguide and inform students and residents.

A public-private partnership should be formulated tosynthesize an educational program promoting theenvironmental and historic significance of the Yahara RiverParkway. A sample of the types of groups that can assist in theeffort includes the Urban Open Space Foundation and theMadison Trust for H istoric Preservation. Target audiencesshould focus on the student populations of Marquette/OKeeffe, Lapham, Lowell, and East High schools. Otherprojects could include demonstration projects, self-guided

walking tours, work parties, environmental and historic

markers/displays, and seasonal clean-ups.Portions of the Yahara River adjacent to Marquette/OKeeffeSchool are a natural focus area but the existing rip rap (largeboulders used to secure shoreline) makes it difficult to accessthe waters edge. Providing improved access to the river forstudents and the public will aid and facilitate in the

educational activities and general enjoyment of the river.

8. Parkway Focal Points. Several sites along the proposedbike/pedestrian path and footpath represent ideal opportunitiesto enhance the Yahara River Parkway with site amenities suchas artwork, benches, bike racks, drinking fountains,educational signage, and landscaping.

Wi lli amson Street/Yahara River Parkway Intersection. The YRPCommittee recommends the development of the Yahara River

Parkway/Williamson Street intersection as a focal point/restarea along the proposed west riverside bike/pedestrian route,potentially including benches, a drinking fountain, a shadedarea, a kiosk (a cylindrical structure on which notices can beposted), a bike rack, a telephone, water access, and landscapingconsistent with the Parkway and Isthmus bike path/pedestrianbridge. In conjunction with other redevelopments, focal pointscould be considered for other sections along the riverway.

Tenney Park. Since the Yahara River Parkway and Tenney Park

were both initially designed by O.C. Simonds in the early1900s, a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the YaharaRiver Parkway should include plans for the river portion ofTenney Park. Primary concerns include ensuring a park-likesetting while providing parking space, increasing green space,and implementing a plan for landscape treatment and historicpreservation as part of a similar plan for the greater YaharaRiver Parkway. Tenney Park Beach is one of the most popularbeaches on the east side. In 1995, a survey reported more than16,000 citizens used the beach.

5


11/96

Filene Park. Filene Park, east of the Tenney Locks, represents ascenic site, overlooking Lake Mendota, for such site amenitiesas public artwork (such as a piece of sculpture), publicfurniture (such as a bench), and/or educational signage.

Marquette Elementary/OKeeffe Middle School Educati onal Area.

Work with the school to create an educational outdoor lab forschool children (See Recommendation 7).

Yahara Place Park. The three elements necessary to complete theintersection between the Yahara River corridor and Yahara PlacePark are completing the path system and upgrading thelandscape material, providing handicapped access at this end ofthe river, and creating new navigational aids to alert boats tolock closings, bad weather, and the entrance to the Yahara River.

9. Private Development Guidelines. The YRP Committeesmission was not only to study ways to improve the YaharaRiver Parkway itself, but also to determine ways to increaseopen space in a park-deficient area while enhancing theParkways visual and social integration with the surroundingneighborhoods. As Parkway-adjacent land parcels becomeavailable for sale and/or redevelopment, the YRP Committeerecommends that the Parks Division and other appropriateagencies investigate the acquisition of these lands to increase

the area of the Yahara River Parkways open space. In addition,many of the land parcels along the Parkway particularly onthe west side between East Johnson Street and WilliamsonStreet are currently utilized in ways that present fewopportunities for integrating the Parkway with surroundingprivate parcels. Access to and views of the Parkway are limited;landscape and facade design bears little relation to the Parkway;and the predominant land uses are manufacturing andcommercial sites with large and barren parking lots that facethe Parkway.

To encourage a more socially and aesthetically invitingdevelopment pattern along the Parkway, the YRP Committeerecommends that the City of Madison encourage residential,mixed commercial/residential, and open space redevelopmentincluding appropriate landscaping and design elements atseveral key sites. Redevelopment programs, such as a TIF

district, may be used to encourage compatible housing andcommercial uses on adjacent private parcels. The YRPCommittee considers modest, affordable housing to be aYahara area asset, and recommends that any redevelopmentalong the Parkway be consistent with the areas existingresidential character. The Isthmus 2020 plan identifies theYahara area as a recommended area to accommodate residentialgrowth in the next several decades. The housing should provideaffordable options for a diverse mix of people, especially the

growing senior population.

The big question that Isthmus 2020 had to answer was, Whatproportion of the 120,000 people forecasted county growthshould be accommodated by the Isthmus? The Yahara Rivercorridor is situated in an excellent location for futureresidential infill development as stated in the 2020 report.

The YRP Committees recommendations on residentialredevelopment and density could add residential dwelling units

of between 10-25 units per acre. The goal is to add housing/retail/offices to expand the existing urban neighborhoods alongthis neglected resource, the Yahara River corridor. Theseredevelopment additions will have the attributes, qualities, andcharacteristics to make this a desirable place to live.

6


12/96

7

EWASH

INGT

ONAV

SHERMAN

AV

STHO

RNTONAV

STHORNTON

AV

YAHARARIVER

MERRY

ST

BUELLST

EWASHING

TONAV

HELENA

ST

ROG

ERSST

MOULTONCT

SFEW

ST

YAHARARIVER

RIVERSIDE

DRYA

HAR

APL

LAKELANDAV

SPAIGHTST

WALTO

NPL

DIV

ISION

ST

D U N N IN G

S T

JENIFE

RST

RUSSELLST

RUSSELLST

SCHURZ

AV

CLEMONSAV

EASTWO

ODDR

OAKRIDGEAV

SC H ILLER C T

RUSSELST

JENIFER

STMO

RRISON

ST

SDIC

KINSONST

ORTONCT

WILL

IAMS

ONST

EWILSONST

SBALD

WIN

ST

WILLIAM

SONST

JENIFER

ST

DEWEY

CT

SCHLEYPASS

EMA

INST

FORDEM

AV

EMAINST

CAREYCT

SFIR

STST

NSECO

NDST

NSECOND

ST

SSECOND ST

EMA

INST

EMIFFLIN

ST

EJOHN

SONST

NTHIRDST

ATWOODAV

ATWOOD

AV

EVER GR EEN AV

WILLARD

AV

OH IOAV

CENTER

AV

SOMMER

SAV

STPA

ULAV

LINDENAV

BASHFORD AV

SUTHERLANDCT

EWASHING

TONAV

AMOTHCT

WINNEB

AGO

ST

TALMAD

GEST

OHI O

AV

LAFOLLETTE AV

JAC

KSO

NS

T

NFIFTH

ST

NFOURTHST

WINNE

BAGO

ST

SFIFTH

ST

DIV

ISIO

NS

T

BASHFORDAVDUN

NING

ST

SULLIVANST

SOUTH CT

LAKE MONONA

SPAIGHTST

ROGERS

ST

RUTLEDGEST

RUSK

ST

NDICKINSO

NST

EMIFFLIN

ST

E

DAYTO

NST

EJOHN

SONST

EGORH

AMST

ELIZABETHST

NFEW

ST

NBR

EARLYST

NINGERSOLL

ST

ELIZA

BETH

ST

JEANST

MARSTON

AV

YAHARARIVERTENNEYPARK LAGOON

SHERMAN

AV

NTHORNTON

AV

SHER

MAN

AV

SHERMANTE

RUSSELLST

HU

DSON

AV

LAKE MENDOTA

EJOHN

SONST

EDA

YTON

ST

NFEWST

SIDNEYST

NBALDWINST

NPATERSO

NST

CO

RRYS

T

NTHIRDST

EDA

YTON

ST

SDICKINSO

NST

NBALD

WIN ST

SBALD

WINST

EMA

INSTNING

ERSOLL

ST

SINGERSO

LLST

SBREARLY

ST

Area 1

Area 2

Area 3

Area 4

City of Madison - Department of Planning Development, Planning Unit ajn

Specialty/Focus Areas

Park Expansion Areas

Special Connection toWater

Educational Landscape/Restoration

Pedestrian Underpass

Legend

General Boundaries of Study Area

Privately Held PotentialDevelopment Sites

Marquette/O'KeeffeSchool

EastHighSchool

LaphamSchool

Map 1Yahara Parkway Design Concept:Summary of Elements


13/96

Planning Mission and Objectives

Yahara River Parkway Planning Mission.

Soon after it was created in July 1995 by the Mayor andCommon Council to address priority planning issues identified in

adopted neighborhood plans, the Yahara River Parkway SteeringCommittee created the following mission statement to guide itsplanning efforts:

Our goal i s to improve and enhance a broad range of

recreational, housing, employment, environmental, and aestheti c

opportuni ti es along the Yahara River corridor, encompassing the

redevelopment of adjacent public and private properti es. Our

recommendati ons wi ll suggest answers to two guiding questions:

1) How should the open space along the Yahara River be

developed to serve the communi tys needs? and 2) How do we

create and/or expand an urban neighborhood along the under-

utili zed Yahara River Parkway?

Planning Objectives.

Parks and Open Space.Objective: To advocate for the planning, preservation, and

development of the Yahara River Parkway as acontinuous and accessible open space amenity for

residents of adjacent neighborhoods and the City ofMadison as a whole.

Objective: To promote the planning, preservation, anddevelopment of the Yahara River Parkway in theprairie spirit that the original designer intended,and to work with the Landmarks Commission inadhering to the Parks Landmark status.

Objective: To encourage the City to acquire land to expand theYahara River corridor, whenever possible.

Bicycle/Pedestrian Access and Safety.Objective: To maintain safe bicycle and pedestrian access to the

entire length of the Yahara River Parkway by enablingsafe crossings at East Johnson Street and EastWashington Avenue, and by establishing connectionsbetween the Parkway and the City of Madisonsexisting network of bike/pedestrian routes.

Objective: To provide a bike/pedestrian friendly environment, itis important to address issues like accessibility and

types of walking surfaces, the elimination ofpedestrian/vehicle conflicts, and the lack ofpedestrian/bike amenities.

Land Use.Objective: To encourage an optimal arrangement of housing,

open space, and mixed land uses in order to create anidentifiable and livable urban neighborhood that isaesthetically and socially integrated with the YaharaRiver Parkway.

8


14/96

Objective: To encourage and strengthen neighborhoodconnectivity by using the Parkway as a catalyst to addto and tie the three neighborhoods together.

Yahara River Parkway Enhancement, Historic Preservation, andStewardship.

Objective: To enhance the Yahara River Parkway as a recreationaland aesthetic amenity for citizens while protecting itswater quality, and the integrity of its banks, wildlife,and fish habitat, as well as the landscape material inthe Parkway system.

Objective: To empower the adjacent neighborhood groups andcitizens to be stewards of the Parkway.

Objective: To cultivate the Yahara River as an importanthistorical site for the Midwest and City, and workwithin the Landmark guidelines to restore the prairie

spiri t landscape design by O.C. Simonds (see pages14 and 15).

Objective: To imbue the Yahara River with environmentalsculptures and/or appropriate public art.

Objective: Add devices and programs to enhance the growth andprotection of special plants and wildlife.

Yahara Parkway System as an Educational Resource.Objective: To cultivate the Yahara River and corridor as an

educational resource for the elementary & middle

school children, as well as citizens. The wildlife, fishhabitat, and landscape material in the Parkway systemcan be used as a teaching tool.

Objective: To uti lize the Yahara River and corridor as aneducational resource to reveal the geological, NativeAmerican, and early Euro-American settlementhistory of the area.

Phased Plan Implementation.Objective: To identify short-term and long-term

recommendations in order to propose a developmenttimeline in accordance with identified priorities.

The Public Participation Planning Process. In developing the

Concept Plan, the YRP Committee has been guided by theextensive participation of citizens, particularly persons who live inthe neighborhoods adjoining the Yahara River Parkway. Thepublic participation forums leading up to the Concept Planinclude the following:

1993-1994: Marquette-Schenk-Atwood (MSA) Neighborhood

Planning Process. Citizen participants in the MSA planningprocess identified the Yahara River Parkway as a priority planningarea, and presented a Parkway vision to develop a pedestrianpathway that will provide a safe, accessible, and recreationalpassageway along the corridor, [including] improvement ofpedestrian travel across (or under) bridges and busy intersections,a connection to Burr Jones Field and Tenney Park, and theenhancement of the shoreline to accommodate more green spaceand recreational lands (Marquette-Schenk-Atwood NeighborhoodPlan, April 1994, page 17; also see pages 2 and 18).

1994-1995: Tenney-Lapham/Old Market Place (TLOMP)

Neighborhood Planni ng Process. Citizen participants in the TLOMPplanning process echoed their MSA neighbors, identifying theParkway as a priority planning area and emphasizing the need for across-isthmus pedestrian and bicycle pathway with safe intersectioncrossings, connections to Burr Jones Field and Tenney Park, andaesthetic and recreational enhancements of the Parkway andadjacent land parcels (Tenney-Lapham/Old Market PlaceNeighborhood Plan, June 1995, pages 4, 50-53).

9


15/96

November 1995: Yahara River Parkway Charette. After theCommon Council created the Yahara River Parkway Committeein July 1995, the YRP Committee began its work by organizing apublic planning charette held at the Fiore Shopping Center onNovember 18, 1995. The charette was an opportunity for citizensto help develop a planning framework for the Yahara River

Parkway. Over 80 charette participants provided extensive ideason how to maintain and improve the Yahara River Parkway as avalued City treasure. Their primary concerns included ensuringbike and pedestrian safety at the Parkways intersections with EastJohnson Street and East Washington Avenue; making Burr JonesField a more user-friendly public park and enhancing itsintegration with the river and the Parkway; developing abike/pedestrian route along the river while maximizing greenspace; and exploring mixed-use development alternatives at key

sites adjacent to the Parkway.

June 1996: Isthmus 2020 Workshop. More than 250 citizensparticipated in the June 29, 1996, Isthmus 2020 Workshop heldat the Madison Civic Center. The Yahara Parkway was one ofseveral stations where citizens discussed isthmus planning issues.Yahara Station participants identified a bike/pedestrian route,enhanced recreational opportunities, and mixed-useredevelopment of adjacent sites as planning priorities for theYahara River Parkway.

1995-1996: Yahara River Parkway Planning Process. Since itsformation in July 1995, the YRP Committee has held over fifteenpublic meetings attended by citizens, guest speakers, alderpersons,and City staff. Discussions at these meetings in addition to theMSA and TLOMP neighborhood plans, the Yahara ParkwayCharette, and the Isthmus 2020 Workshop provided the basis forthe recommendations put forth in the Yahara River ParkwayConcept Plan.

Spring 1996: Burr Jones Design Competi ti on. During the Spring1996 semester, University of Wisconsin landscape architecturestudents participated in a design competition for the Burr JonesField area, identified as a location in need of comprehensivelandscape design. Three design teams presented plans to the YRPCommittee and Tenney-Lapham neighborhood residents in

March 1996. All three plans support primary recommendations ofthe YRP Committee, notably an increase and more efficient use ofopen space as well as the development of a multi-use, water-basedfacility to connect Burr Jones Field to the Yahara River.

On April 4, 1998, the YRP Committee held an open meeting atOKeeffe Middle School to discuss the master plan with thecommunity. Approximately 150 people were in attendance. 113neighborhood people officially signed in with 48 people filling out

a written comment form to express their support or non-support(see appendices). The response was very favorable for the overallmaster plan with suggestions to improve specific areas of the plan.

On April 18, 1998, the Urban Open Space Foundation sponsoredan all day workshop at Lapham Elementary School on the YaharaRiver entitled Restori ng a Treasured Landscape. The purpose was tobuild action teams with specific interest in landscape stewardship/restoration and policy to aid the river corridor.

Committee Meetings. All meetings were were posted and open tothe public. Starting with the February 7, 1996, meeting, thecommittee reserved 15 minutes for public input on any of theagenda items.

10


16/96

11

Historical Perspective on Planning forthe Yahara River Parkway

The Yahara River, originally called the Catfish River, connects thefour Yahara Lakes. The Catfish existed in an undisturbed,

indigenous ecosystem, flowing through marsh, swamp, andforested bottomland in a natural meandering route from LakeMendota to Lake Monona.

Madisons earl iest European-American settlers straightened theCatfish River by 1905. When the river was straightened, it wasrenamed the Yahara River. Since the turn of the century,Madisons citizens and civic organizations have recognized theYahara River Parkway as a unique City asset a natural cross-isthmus link between Lakes Mendota and Monona and as an

opportunity to establish a continuous open space corridoraccessible to all. The words of a 1903 report of the Madison Parkand Pleasure Drive Association remain compelling today: One ofthe unique features of Madison and one possessing greatpossibilities for the beautifying of the City is the Yahara River.This river and its banks should be reclaimed for the people of thisCity [in order to] secure to the public, for all time, free anduninterrupted use and enjoyment of this river and its banks.

True to these words, the Madison Park and Pleasure DriveAssociation introduced the Yahara River Parkway, Madisons firstand only river parkway, as a concept in 1903. The initial planningand development for Madisons first great public park, TenneyPark, was completed in 1911, which used the design proposals ofO. C. Simonds. The establishment of Tenney Park changed theassociation's direction and started the golden age of parkformation in Madison.

Considered by many tobe the father of thePrairie School ofLandscape Design,Simonds took as hismodel his native

Midwestern Prairie andsought to utilize nativeplant species such asViburnum, H awthorne,Dogwood, and Elms, anovel concept at thattime. As he did inTenney Park, Simondsutilized curving narrow

paths and irregularmasses of mostly nativespecies on the banks ofthe Yahara River.Simonds plan alsoenvisioned continuous,uninterrupted, andaccessible public pathson each side of the river.

The Parkway was builtalmost entirely with

private subscriptions; of the 482 subscribers, one-half gave $10 orless. Along with land being donated by prominent citizens, 56teamsters agreed to donate two loads each of crushed stones forfill. In the spirit of civic pride, the railroad companies raised/builtnew bridges; and in 1904, Norwegian Consul Halle Steenslandoffered $10,000 to build a stone bridge over the Yahara River atEast Washington Avenue.

There is hardly one man in this

community but what will rejoice when he

walks along the banks of the Yahara River

after it is beautified as it is to be, to feel

that he himself was one of it s proprietors,

a part icipator of the cost of that work.

Madison Park and Pleasure Dr ive Association

Report of t he Officers

April 1903


17/96

Tenney Park and the Yahara River Parkway City Landmarks.

The Tenney Park and Yahara River Parkway were designatedMadison Landmarks in 1995. Tenney Park and the Yahara RiverParkway triggered an era of incredible park philanthropy inMadison. During the 19th century, Orton Park was the onlydeveloped parkland in the City. In 1894, a private group wasfounded to address the need for increased parkland: the MadisonPark and Pleasure Drive Association (M PPDA). In the first yearsof its existence, the group focused its activities on thedevelopment of pleasure drives landscaped roads that madetheir way through the countryside, and which were used primarily

by the one-fourth of the population who had sufficient means toown horses or the occasional horse-less carriage. Tenney Park andthe Yahara River Parkway were the first parks developed by theAssociation that were intended to provide a place of recreationand beauty for the majority of the population. The success ofthese efforts encouraged the MPPDA to develop addit ional parks,including Brittingham, Vilas, Olin, Hoyt, Law, and Nakoma, aswell as the Glenway Golf Course. In 1938, the MPPDA wasdissolved and handed over all of its lands to the City, along with a

legacy of commitment to parks and open space that continues tothis day.

The Madison Parks and Pleasure Drive Association was formed byJohn Olin and some of his associates as a volunteer organizationdevoted to the development of M adisons parks, scenic drives, and

sports facilities. As Madisons fi rst designed park, i ts land andlagoons formerly were marshland. The park was developed in foursections. O.C. Simonds, a landscape designer, is credited as one ofthe founders of the Prairie School of Landscape Design, whichwas an outgrowth of earlier English precedents that included theromantic, picturesque, and undulating terrain of a naturallandscape. The Prairie School is characterized by the use of nativeplants, local building materials, and natural regional topographyto capture the essence of the local region. Simonds believed in

employing certain rules to govern design: unity, one picture in aview, and the use of all the senses (smell, sight, etc.). Simondsmanipulated the landscapeto look like the naturalworld. O.C. Simondsdesign for Tenney Park,done between 1898 and1906, reflects the qualitiesof a prairie landscape (seepages 14 and 15).

In 1911, John Nolenrevised the master plan forTenney Park and the YaharaParkway to accommodatethe public desire for activerecreation. John Nolen isknown as one of thefounders of city planning in

12

Other than the state capitol grounds,Tenney Park served

as Madison's first designed public space. In addition to its

physical design attr ibutes, provided by landscape architect

O.C.Simonds,Tenney Park fulfilled an important social role

in Madison at the turn of the century:situated on the

eastern side of Madison, the park was readily accessible to

the City's working class populat ion.When considering its

position as the City's first public park, along with its design

excellence and social significance,Tenney Park is Madison's

version of New York City's Central Park.

Prof. Arnold R. Alanen

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Thornton Avenue spill way buil t i n 1916 is

an hi storical element on the Yahara River

used for fi shing.


18/96

America. He believed in beautiful entries to a city, a unified parksystem, an orderly street system, and housing for all people. Nolenfelt that the Yahara Parkway was the most important connectionin the Madison park system.

The YRP Committees concept plan retains Simonds vision for

the Yahara River Parkway while adding modifications required byincreases in automobile and bicycle use that have occurred sincethe turn of the century. While he envisioned two pedestrian paths one on each side of the river (see photographs, pages 1 and 11) the YRP Committee recommends a low-impact pedestrian pathon one side of the river and a bike/pedestrian path on the otherside. In addition, the YRP Committee recommends a Parkwayfeature that was probably not necessary ninety years ago butwhich is crucial today: pedestrian underpasses where the Parkway

intersects East Johnson Street and East Washington Avenue, twoarterial streets that carry tens of thousands of vehicles per dayacross the Yahara River.

In his introduction to the report, Tenney Park and the Yahara RiverParkway(1997), Lance M. Neckar, ASLA, states the documentcreates a framework for planning, future maintenance, andplanting, and construction both in the park and along theparkway in a manner that will preserve and enhance their historicintegrity. The report details the historical significance and general

principles of the preservation and adaptive reuse of the Parkwayand Tenney Park. Neckar states that Tenney Park and the YaharaRiver Parkway are distinguished by the combined significance oftheir design in the prairie spirit and their importance in theprogressive period as nationally-recognized works of civicimprovement. This dual significance also represents the nexusbetween civic improvement and landscape architecture in the latenineteenth century and the progressive period prior to the FirstWorld War. He articulates three general principles to guide therenewal of the park-owned lands: Curvilinear Connective Paths,

Native Plant Masses, and Replanting Guides. The specificprinciples relating to the Yahara River Parkway are: 1) Modal(vehicle and bike-pedestrian) and grade separation for paths,2) prairie spirit plantings defining water edge and continuity, and3) plantings for personal safety. His ground rule for park landimprovements replicates the Committees recommendations for

the development of a path system, restoration of pathways underbridges, adaptive redesign of spaces for recreational uses, thecreation of an ecological corridor, the aesthetic idea of the longview as a space framed by shrub masses and, most importantly,restoring the original quality of Tenney Park and the Yahara RiverParkway design by O.C. Simonds.

Bridges. The bridges overthe Yahara River and

Tenney Park are aprominent design elementin creating the sense ofhistory, character, andaesthetics of the riverParkway. Special attentionhas been given to thebridge from the beginningof Madison history.

13

Rutledge Street Bri dge looking northwest

Our civic leaders clearly stated that consideration be given

to art istic quality rather than utilitarian bridge structures,

so that it behooves us to demand not merely strength

but dignity and civic splendor in their construction. Every

City bridge is an opportunity. It cannot be too often stated

that nothing pays so well as beauty, and that this

constitutes a large part of the capital of Madison.

Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association Report

May 1904


19/96

14

Tenney Park and Yahara ParkwayOriginal plans designed and drawn by O.C. Simonds, 1906


20/96

15

Boating on the Yahara River was a popular activi ty

at the turn of the century

Madison Park and Pleasure Dri ve Associati on

1911

People enjoying the Tenney Park Lagoon

Madison Park and Pl easure Dri ve Associati on

1908


21/96

In November 1904,Norwegian Consul HalleSteensland offered to payfor the Rutledge StreetBridge as a present to theCity of Madison in

commemoration of his50 years residency in theCity. The East MainStreet Bridge appearsidentical to the RutledgeStreet Bridge. Although theEast Main Street span was built in 1926, ten years after theRutledge Street Bridge, it appears to have been constructedaccording to the same plan. The bridge is a classically detailed

concrete arch bridge and an excellent local example of a structuredesigned along certain aesthetic principles. The bridge isscheduled to be reconstructed in a manner similar to the recentlycompleted Rutledge Street Bridge. The bridges are a major part ofthe Landmark designation and careful attention should be paid tofuture decisions that relate to them.

Study Area Description

The Yahara River Parkway. The primary study area is the YaharaRiver Parkway itself, a corridor running parallel to the YaharaRiver as it flows across the isthmus from Lake Mendota to LakeMonona. With a 50-foot wide strip of green space on each side ofthe river that is about a mile in length, the Parkway includes some16.5 acres of land. The secondary study area consists of landparcels directly adjacent to the Parkway that representopportunities for increasing open space, implementing Parkwayamenities, and encouraging future redevelopment (includingresidential, commercial, industrial, and institutional functions)

that complements the Parkway and meets the needs ofneighborhood and City residents. Lying approximately one mileeast of the state capitol, the Parkway crosses two primary arterialstreets (East Johnson Street and East Washington Avenue) andconnects four City parks (Tenney, Filene, Yahara Place, and BurrJones Field).

The Yahara River and Four Lakes.

The Yahara River and its lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa andKegonsa are important in providing scenic beauty andswimming, boating, and fishing opportunities for area residentsand visitors. As a result, the lakes are highly valued physicalresources and are an integral part of the quality of life that DaneCounty residents enjoy.

Geological Hi story. The lakes were formed about 10,000 years agowhen the last glacier deposited a thick layer of glacial till(unsorted sediment) over the landscape and dammed up the largepreglacial Yahara River Valley. The Yahara watershed (land areadraining to the lakes) covers 359 square miles (over one quarter ofDane County). The Yahara River begins just north of DaneCounty in Columbia County and flows southward to connect thefour lakes, finally joining the Rock River in Rock County. Muchof the watershed is farmed; however, the watershed also contains

most of the urban land in the Madison metropolitan area. Inaddition, the Yahara watershed includes some of the largestwetlands left in Dane County.

The Yahara lakes are classified as eutrophic lakes. Eutrophic lakeshave an overabundant supply of nutrients and excessive weeds andalgae. Lake Mendota includes 9,842 acres of water with 21.9 milesof shoreline. It takes about 6.3 years for the lake to flush throughits 135 billion gallons of water. Lake Monona includes 3,274 acresof water with 13.2 miles of shoreline. The Yahara River is

16

Main Street Bri dge (scheduled for

reconstruction i n the Summer of 1998) in

the foreground wi th East Washington Avenue

Steensland Br idge in background


22/96

approximately 35 feet wide and is approximately one mile inlength (with an overall gradient of 3.6 feet per mile) between thetwo lakes. The flow of water in the Yahara River between LakeMendota and Lake Monona is regulated by the dam located at theLake Mendota inlet. The average baseflow is approximately 70cubic feet per second.

Recreati onal opportuni ti es.

The river provides foractive, water-basedrecreation. The activit iesthat are available includemotorboating, canoeing/kayaking, rowing, jetskiing, and fishing. Biking,

hiking, and walking arerecreational activities that occur near the river. Passive activitiessuch as sitting, reading, and picnicking also occur near the river.The recreational potential in the Parkway is insufficientlydeveloped to take full advantage of this resource and to meetneighborhood needs.

Motorized and non-

motori zed access and use.

The Tenney Park Locks are

located on the Yahara Riveralong the southeasterncorner of Lake Mendotaand Sherman Avenue. Thelocks are operated by DaneCounty Public Works tocontrol water flow and boataccess. They open in May and close in October. The normaldifference between the two lakes is five feet, with the locksproviding passage from one lake to the other. Generally, boats need

to be under seven feet in height and draw less than two feet toensure passage through the river channel (see the Appendix forboat counts). From May to October 1997, a total of 15,634 boatspassed through the locks. In 1996, 13,686 boats used the TenneyLocks.

Fish habitat and fishing. The Yahara Rivers vegetation andoverhanging cover make it home to almost two dozen fish species,including popular sport fish such as muskellunge, northern pike,walleye, bluegill, brook silverside, common and golden shiners,minnows, white sucker, big mouth buffalo, common carp,pumpkin seed, black and white crappie, yellow perch, andlargemouth, smallmouth, rock, and white bass. The Departmentof Natural Resources classification of the current use of thissection of the river is warm water sport fishery. At certain times of

the year, the Yahara is also home to cisco and lake sturgeon.Spawning habitat is scattered throughout the river channel wherenooks and crannies exist around bridges, trees overhang thewater, and other features provide excellent nursery areas for youngand newly-hatched fish. Angling for Yahara River fish attractspeople from as far away as Milwaukee, and fishing is particularlysuccessful below the Tenney Locks. Due to its confined area, theYahara River is prone to fish kills, a direct result of storm sewerrun-off during storm events and chemical spills.

Wildlife. The river parkwayhelps sustain and nurtureliving creatures byproviding a habitat forthem. There is anabundance of birds andwater fowl, includingeagles, hawks, owls, kingfishers, sea gulls, and songbirds. Small mammals like

17


23/96

18

muskrats, squirrel, raccoons, minks, rabbits, woodchucks,gophers, and squirrels are more difficult to spot but do reside inthe corridor. Reptiles like turtles and toads are less abundant.

Landscape Materi al. A study of the landscape material wasprepared under a grant secured by the Urban Open Space

Foundation. The study has recommendations on the managementof the river parkway and the state of the existing material. Thelandscape material has dramatically changed form the originalO.C. Simonds landscape planting plan. Due to the status of thecorridor, a City landmark, plant material invasive to the originaldesign may have to be removed. Replacement plantings shouldconform with the historical original planting concepts. Presently,at least 34 species of trees and shrubs are within the Yahara RiverParkway. Of these, 27 species are trees and seven are shrubs. The

most abundant tree species is green ash, followed by river birch,black locust, box elder, and elm.

The majority of trees are the result of river bank regenerationrather than tree planting. Fewer than a dozen trees can be ascribedto the original landscape plan. In the report, Yahara RiverParkway: A Landscape Management Analysis, recommendations areoutlined to restore the prairie spirit landscape plan and involveand educate the community on the resources they have (see

Appendix, pages 103-110, for excerpts of the report).

Water quali ty and the role of watershed. Through state enablinglegislation, the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commissionhas assumed a principal local oversight and intergovernmentalcoordination role for the water resource management activities.Upstream the agricultural land continues to pose the principlethreat to the watershed, but urban areas also add significantamounts of nutrients, bacteria, and other pollutants to the Lakes

and river.

This study area is a priority watershed and is in the WisconsinNonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement Program. This areais in the high priority Street Sweeping and Source ControlArea.The goal is to protect water bodies from further degradationby reducing concentrations of nutrients and sediment loading,and by controlling runoff that contains pollutants.

The rip rap reduces river bank erosion from boat wakes. Soil

loss, however, still occurs around the rocks and the large stone canmake access to the water difficult. The rip rap diminishes thediversity of plant species near the water and the typical overhangon a natural river which provides cover to nurture fish and aquaticpopulations.

Madison Park and Pleasure Dri ve Associati on

1908


24/96

19

Lake Mendota and Tenney Park wi th East Washington Avenue at the ri ght of photo


25/96

20

East Washington Avenue at the left of photo with the Yahara River flowi ng into Lake Monona


26/96

21

East Isthmus/Yahara Area Neighborhoods.

The YRP Committee has developed its recommendations withspecial attention to the needs and priorities of east isthmusresidents, particularly residents of the three neighborhoods directlyadjacent to the Parkway: Emerson East-Eken Park, Marquette-

Schenk-Atwood, and Tenney-Lapham/Old Market Place.

Yahara Area population.

Primary population characteristics in Yahara area neighborhoodsinclude the following (see Appendix for complete data):

Age distr ibuti on. Yahara area residents were similar to City ofMadison residents overall in terms of age. In 1990, 14.5 percentof Yahara area residents were children below age 15 (16.1 percent

City-wide), while 9.9 percent were seniors age 65 or older (9.3percent City-wide). These two age groups including the personsmost likely to need a safe, cross-isthmus pedestrian route asrecommended in this plan together constitute almost onequarter of the Yahara area population.

School enrollment. Yahara area school enrollment figures, mirroringthe age distribution, further indicate the need for a safe, cross-isthmus bike/pedestrian route as recommended in this plan. Pre-primary enrollment equalled 2 percent of the Yahara area

population in 1990; elementary-to-high school enrollment, 8.8percent; and college enrollment, 16.1 percent (1.9 percent, 11percent, and 23.3 percent, respectively, City-wide). Altogether,students represented over one quarter of the Yahara areapopulation in 1990. Safe crossing of East Washington Avenue isparticularly important for elementary school students in the Yaharaarea since Lapham and Marquette Elementary Schools are pairedschools lying on opposite sides of East Washington Avenue. In

addition, OKeeffe Middle School serves both sides of EastWashington Avenue, along with East High School.

Transportation to work. Compared to City residents overall in1990, Yahara area residents were less likely to drive a car to workand more likely to walk, ride a bike, or take a bus. Over one third

(36.6 percent) of 1990 Yahara area workers walked, rode a bike,or took a bus to work, compared to less than one quarter ( 24.6percent) of City-wide residents (Walk or bike: 21.8 %, Yaharaarea; 16.9 %, City-wide. Bus: 14.8 %, Yahara area; 7.7 %, City-wide). Since safe pedestrian crossings at primary arterial streetssuch as East Johnson Street and East Washington Avenue are vitalnot only for pedestrians and bicyclists, but also for bus-riders whoneed to cross to get to bus stops, these figures indicate apronounced need in Yahara area neighborhoods for a safe, cross-isthmus bike/pedestrian route as recommended in this plan.

Residence in 1985. According to 1990 figures, Yahara area residentsare almost identical to City-wide residents in terms of stability ofresidence. Close to one third (32.6 percent) of 1990 Yahara arearesidents lived in the same house they had occupied in 1985 (35.9percent City-wide), while an additional 29.9 percent had lived inthe City of Madison for at least five years (23 percent City-wide).These figures describe a population committed to living in andpreserving the quality of life in Madison and the Yahara area.

Yahara Area housing.

Primary housing characteristics in Yahara area neighborhoodsinclude the following (see Appendix for complete data):

Age of housing. Yahara area housing structures are substantially olderthan housing structures City-wide. While over half of Yahara areahousing units in 1990 (56.7 percent) were structures built prior to


27/96

22

EJohn

sonS

t

EWashingto

nAv

e

Willi

amsonS

t

FirstSt

Existing Land Use

Residential

Commercial

Institutional

IndustrialPark and Open Space

Agricultural and Vacant

The Existing Land Use Mapshows the pattern of developmentwith distinct residentialneighborhoods divided by EastWashington Avenue and theYahara River corridor. TheCommittee understands that the

river is a valuable resource andgiven the substantial inventory ofvacant, underdeveloped, andunderutilized properties in theYahara River corridor, a new landuse strategy is required to fosterdevelopment and new economicactivity. The sites outlined on themap are the parcels targeted bythe Committee forredevelopment.

The Committee is interested in:a)Encouraging mixed use on EastWashington Avenue and variedforms of housing in the othersites, b) ensuring that a highstandard of architectural andurban design quality is providedin the built environment, andc) encouraging the developmentof human scaled buildings,structures, and urban spaces that

front the river and promotepedestrian connection to the river.

Map 2Yahara River Parkway Existing Land Use


28/96


29/96

24

1940, over half of City-wide units (53.9 percent) were structuresbuilt since 1960. Yahara area housing structures are in fact amongthe oldest and most historically significant in the City ofMadison, suggesting the need not only to preserve existingstructures but also to ensure that redevelopment adjacent to theYahara River Parkway itself an historical treasure is consistent

with the historical character of the surrounding neighborhoods.The Third Lake Ridge is a City of Madison Historic Districtabutting the Parkway. A National Register of Historic Place, theMarquette Bungalows, is also alongside the Parkway. Next toTenney Park is the Sherman Avenue National Register of HistoricPlaces (See site analysis on page 28).

Housing Tenure. Over one third (35.9 percent) of Yahara areahousing units were owner-occupied in 1990 (47 percent City-wide) and the remaining 64.1 percent were renter-occupied (53percent City-wide).

Housing: Uni ts in structure. Single-family homes represented 35.4percent of Yahara area housing units in 1990 (48.1 percent City-wide), while 2- to 4-unit structures represented 49.2 percent (25.9percent City-wide). Housing structures with 10 or more unitsrepresented 14.1 percent of Yahara area housing units in 1990,compared to 24.4 percent City-wide.

Transportation.East Isthmus Arterial Street Traffic.

The Yahara River Parkway crosses two primary arterial streets onthe east side of the isthmus: East Johnson Street and EastWashington Avenue. Daily vehicular traffic volumes where thesestreets intersect the Yahara River are among the highest in theCity of Madison. According to 1995 average daily traffic counts,the Yahara River is crossed by approximately 32,000 vehicles perday on East Johnson Street and approximately 50,000 vehicles per

day on East Washington Avenue. Along with population dataindicating substantial youth population, senior population, schoolenrollment, and prevalence of pedestrian and bicycletransportation in Yahara area neighborhoods, these figureshighlight the importance of pedestrian underpasses at thesestreet/river intersections as recommended in this plan including

west riverside underpasses to accommodate the proposed bike/pedestrian route and east riverside underpasses to accommodatethe proposed foot trail.

Rail Road Traffic.

Present Freight Traffi c. The main rail freight operator is theWisconsin & Southern Rail Line with an occasional trainoperated by the Canadian Pacific. Based on current service levels,there is about 4246 trips a week either through or originating in

Madison and crossing the Yahara River corridor. In the summer,there is approximately an additional 14 trips a week. This means,on average, between 69 trains a day.

Future of Commuter Rail Line. A study has recently begunconsidering the possibility of commuter rail in Dane County. Theproject is sponsored by the Wisconsin State Department ofTransportation (WisDOT), Dane County, and the City of Madison.The underlying reason for the analysis of expanded mass transittechnologies in general has to do with the fact that Dane County

is projected to grow by over 100,000 people by the year 2020.There is a distinction to be made between commuter rail and lightrail. Commuter rail typically refers to a heavier train set that isphysically larger than those used for light rail. These commuterrail train sets can run on the existing rail infrastructure, the sameinfrastructure on which freight rail operations presently operate.Light rail would require its own, entirely new infrastructure:primarily smaller, narrower tracks in separate right-of-ways thanexist presently for rail.


30/96

There are basically two rail corridors presently underconsideration. The first runs east-west between Sun Prairie andMazomanie, while the second runs north-south between DeForestand Stoughton. Also presently included for consideration is asmall spur to the Expo Center. The attached map identifies thepreliminary Madison area station locations. Also, the Yahara River

area is being considered for a possible centrally located rail fleetstorage and rail maintenance facility. The YRP Committee shoulduse the information from this study as a springboard into anassessment of what possible threats and opportunities commuterrail presents to the redevelopment of the Yahara Parkway.

Mass Transit. Metro bus lines provide a multitude of stops and buslines that intersect with the Parkway. On Rutledge Street, the ELine bisects the Yahara River. On Williamson/Winnebago Street,the B & C Lines cross the river and on East Washington Avenue,

the I & J Lines, along with the Jx, R, S, and W, bisect the river.East Johnson Street has the A Line with U Shuttle Line service.Sherman Avenue has the G Line. In summary, there are fourprimary bus lines crossing the Yahara River. Primary routes providecontinuous service seven days a week, including holidays. Twosecondary routes provide continuous service five to seven days per

week. Five commuter routes provide service Monday throughFriday during peak periods. Walking distance to the bus stop isrelatively short for anyone living near the Yahara River corridor.

City Wide Bike System.

Overall City Bikeway Network. Madison has a network of over 100miles of designated bikeways. Bikeways include separated off-roadway paved paths, on-street bike lanes, and signed mixedtraffic bike routes. In addition, all local streets, and most collector

streets adequately meet the needs of bicyclists (See Isthmusportion of Madison bike path in Appendix, page 83).

The City of Madison has had an adopted Bicycle TransportationPlan since at least 1975. This Plan was most recently updated in1991. The Objectives and Policies in the Bicycle TransportationPlan include:

To include appropriate provisions for bicyclists when planningall roadway improvements;

To consider the development of separate (off-roadway) bicyclepaths that provide access for bicyclists around barriers tobicycle travel. When direct routes can be provided that havefew conflict points with motorists (such as rail corridors,lakefronts and water courses), these routes should have a highpriority to be developed.

To consider the provision of bikeways when developing parks,open space, railroad rights-of-way, and private subdivisionprojects, especially those that serve both transportation andrecreational uses.

25

Map 4Dane County Phase I Feasibility Study of CommuterRail Preliminary Central Area Station Locations


31/96


32/96

27

acreage deficiencies, several residential areas do not have any parkswithin the service area distances recommended in the Park andOpen Space Plan.

One strategy being implemented to alleviate these deficiencies isto make existing parks more easily accessible to residents by

connecting the parks with bike routes and off-street paths. Thesetrails also provide more distant access to large parks such asOlbrich, Olin-Turville, Vilas, and the UW Arboretum.

Tenney Park. Initial development of the Yahara River Parkway(which began in 1903) was based on the plans of renownedlandscape architect and Tenney Park designer O.C. Simonds, whoenvisioned the Parkway and Tenney Park as natural aesthetic andrecreational complements to each other. The YRP Committeerecommends fulfilling key elements of Simonds vision for theParkway and Tenney Park: a continuous and accessible publicParkway uninterrupted by private properties; a pedestrian path oneach side of the river; and a landscaping plan for both Tenney Parkand the Parkway that highlights native plant species. Tenney Park,the largest park in the neighborhood and one of the most popularin the City, covers 41.9 acres and is considered a community park.

A community park has a 2.5 mile serving radius encompassingthree to six neighborhoods.

Waterway and Locks: TheDane County PublicWorks Department is

responsible for the lakelevels and waterwaysthroughout Dane County,including the portion ofthe Yahara River thattraverses the Madisonisthmus area. They operatethe locks and weed cutting program and, along with the State ofWisconsin, develop programs for water quality improvements.The DNR has established minimum and maximum lake levels forthe Yahara Lakes. The Dane County Public Works Departmentchecks and regulates the lake levels by making appropriate outflowadjustments. The Sheriff s Department is responsible forpatrolling the waterway and enforcing the laws.

Filene Park. Filene Park is on the small knoll east of the boatlaunch at the Tenney Park Locks.

Burr Jones Field. Although Burr Jones Field (6.2 acres) occupies anideal open space site in the center of the isthmus along the YaharaRiver, its use is presently limited by inadequate and/or unsafe

access for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Burr Jones Field alsolacks screening from adjacent commercial/industrial properties,and its design as an athletic field makes minimal use of the YaharaRiver Parkway as an aesthetic and recreational amenity. The YRPCommittee recommends a comprehensive redevelopment plan forBurr Jones Field and adjacent land parcels between EastWashington Avenue and East Johnson Street in order to raise thearea to its potential as a social and recreational centerpiece of theYahara River Parkway. Presently, the park is primarily used forUltimate Frisbee and soccer.


33/96

28

Map 5Site Analysis The map shown above is

illustrative of the important aspects of thisriver corridor.

Yahara Place Park. On the shore of Lake Monona atthe mouth of the Yahara River, Yahara Place Park isa natural extension of the Yahara River Parkway anda potential site for educational, recreational, andsocial amenities.

Marquette-OKeeffe Playground. The Marquette-OKeeffe playground is the isthmus majorrecreational space south of East Washington Avenue.

Site Analysis.

While quantitative data and maps are helpful indescribing the Yahara River Parkway and itssurrounding neighborhoods, a more subjectiveanalysis of how people actually experience the

Parkway when they are in it is equally if not moreenlightening (see map at right).


34/96

Part II

Publicly Owned Lands


35/96

29

Recommendations

The YRP Committee looked back to the past to plan for the future. Many of the recommendations on the following pages are inspired bythe original plan developed at the turn of the century and by the civic spirit required to implement it. The YRP Committees hope is thatthis plan wil l set the tone for the next several decades and create another legacy for the citizens of Madison to enjoy for years to come.

Each action has a time frame, either immediate (1-3 years), short term (4-6 years), long term (6 years or more), or ongoing. Some actionsmay be shown as having a specified time frame and then become ongoing activities or programs. The time frames assigned in the charts onpages 73-77 are tentative and may require adjustment after action by the Common Council.


36/96

30

1. East Johnson and East Washington Bike/Pedestrian Underpasses. The potential benefits of the YRP Committees proposedimprovements to the Yahara River Parkway critically depend upon safe crossing measures at the two primary arterial streets on the eastside of the isthmus: East Johnson Street and East Washington Avenue. Daily vehicular traffic volumes where these streets intersect theYahara River are among the highest in the City of Madison. According to 1995 average daily traffic counts, the Yahara River is crossedby approximately 32,000 vehicles per day on East Johnson Street and 50,000 vehicles per day on East Washington Avenue. The YRPCommittee recommends bike/pedestrian underpasses at these streets including a recommended west riverside underpass for the

proposed bike/pedestrian route and an east riverside underpass for the proposed foot trail as well as improved at-grade crossingmeasures. The underpass is a key component to linking the three neighborhoods together and providing the continuous path system theParkway was originally designed for at the turn of the century.

East Washington Bike/Pedestrian Underpasses. The YRP Committee recommends a west riverside ADA accessible bike/pedestrianunderpass and an east riverside pedestrian underpass at the Yahara River Parkways intersection with East Washington Avenue.

Recommendation Implementation Phase Priority

A. West Riverside Bike/Pedestrian and East RiversidePedestrian Underpass. Explore the feasibility of a

bike/pedestrian underpass on the west side andpedestrian underpass on the east side of the YaharaRiver under East Washington Avenue. In the processof creating the underpass, the recommendation isthat the bridge design be historically compatible andthe underpass be open to view the river to enhancesafety, comfort, and aesthetics.

EngineeringTraffic Engineering

Design input: Planning

See letter from Strand Engineering in theAppendix

1st Phase: Part of the East WashingtonAvenue Street Reconstruction project in2000. The reconstruction will necessitate animprovement of the sight line over the rivermaking the underpass feasible.

West side of East Johnson

Street Underpass

East Washington Avenue bridgewith underpasses on both sides

Steensland Bridge Yahara River Parkway

Replicate limestone/ashlar cladding with tr im andcut stone caps and square plaques

Keep appearance of short span across river

False arch as str inger of cut limestoneto match caps/coping/plaques

Concept by Professor Lance Neckar

Concept by Strand Engineeri ng

Concept by Strand Engineeri ng


37/96

31

See letter from Strand Engineering in the

Appendix

1st Phase: A part of the Thornton Avenuereconfiguration in Tenney Park, this tunnelor underpass may be considered. The YRPCommittee strongly recommends that thisunderpass occur soon because of the safetyissues involved with sight lines for the roadover the bridge.

Engineering

Traffic EngineeringDesign input: Planning

B. West Riverside Bike/Pedestrian and East Riverside

Pedestrian Underpass. Explore the feasibility of abike/pedestrian underpass on the west side andpedestrian underpass on the east side of the YaharaRiver under East Johnson Street. The recommendationis that the historical bridge be saved or replicated.With a narrow right-of-way and budget constraints,a single underpass may be considered, with a priorityon the west side of the river.

Phase PriorityImplementationRecommendation

East Johnson Bike/Pedestrian Underpasses. The YRP Committee recommends a west riverside ADA accessible bike/pedestrian underpassand an east riverside pedestrian underpass at the Yahara River Parkways intersection with East Johnson Street.

East Washington Avenue 1st phase

East Johnson Street 1st phase (see sketchfor Johnson Street Pedestrian Crossing on

page 30).

EngineeringTraffic Engineering

C. Improved At-Grade Crossing Measures. In additionto underpasses, explore the feasibility of improvedat-grade crossing measures at the Parkwaysintersections with both East Johnson Street and EastWashington Avenue.


East Johnson Street and East Washington Avenue need to have the option for a safe, at-grade crossing for those people who do not wantto use the underpass, particularly during night time hours.


38/96

32

2. West Riverside Bike/Pedestrian Route. One of the central recommendations of the YRP Committee is to create a continuousADA accessible bike/pedestrian route on the west side of the Yahara River extending from Lake Monona to Lake Mendota. Theproposed bike/pedestrian route would be in two parts: a separated bike/pedestrian path from Sherman Avenue to Williamson Street;and a marked in-street bike lane between Williamson and Rutledge to complete lake-to-lake access. This route would 1) meet the needfor a safe, formal cross-Isthmus transportation option for pedestrians and bicyclists; 2) provide connections to existing bike/pedestrianroutes; and 3) provide multiple access points to the Yahara River Parkway and its scenic and recreational assets. East Johnson Street and

East Washington Avenue Bike/Pedestrian Underpasses are the key elements in creating a continuous path system.

A safe west riverside bike/pedestrian route is not feasible without safe crossing measures at East Johnson Street and East WashingtonAvenue, including underpasses and improved at-grade crossings. See specific recommendations on pages 30 and 31. Connections toExisti ng Bike/Pedestr ian Routes. The proposed Yahara Parkway bike/pedestrian path should provide safe and well-marked connections toexisting bike routes, including the Mifflin Street bike path, the Isthmus bike path, unmarked recreational route along Lake Monona,and the Sherman Avenue bike path.

The very feature of this plan is providing continued access for all citizens along the Yahara Park in keeping with the spirit of the originalplan of 1906. (The Concept Map, pages 54-57, illustrates the location of the bike/pedestrian path.)


A. Size, location, and type of path. Provide acontinuous 10-12 paved separate (off road)bicycle/pedestrian path starting at Williamson Streetand ending at the Tenney Park parking lot entrance.From Tenney Park parking lot to Sherman Avenue,have a designated bike route on Thornton Avenue.From Williamson Street to Yahara Park, have anundesignated recreational bike path on RiversideDrive or Thornton Avenue with an in-park foot trailfor pedestrians in Yahara Parkway/Tenney Park.

Parks DivisionTransportationEngineeringPlanning

2nd Phase The exact location of the pathwill be determined as a part of special plansand construction drawings for each phaseand will usually be associated with a largerproject.


39/96

33

Historic lighting. In order to provide the Yahara River Parkway with a unifying design feature, recognize the historical roots of the YaharaRiver Parkway Concept Plan, and provide night-time visibility, the YRP Committee recommends that the proposed west riversidebike/pedestrian route be lined with historic lighting fixtures similar to those on the Jenifer Street footbridge.


B. Historic lighting. Identi fy and install historicallyappropriate lighting fixtures along the west riversideYahara River Parkway bike/pedestrian route. Lightfixtures should illuminate the ground and the sourceshould be concealed.

Traffic EngineeringPlanning

1st phase constructed the portion of pathbetween Dayton and Main Streets withreconstruction of East Washington bridge.

2nd phase coincides with removal ofThornton Avenue (See Recommendation 8on page 50).

Looking southeast from East Washington Avenue down

Thornton Avenue towards Wi ll iamson Street as it exists today.Thornton Avenue carr ies a relati vely small amount of vehicles.

Ill ustrati on showing the removal of Thornton Avenue for additi onal park space and

plenty of room for a proposed west side bike/pedestr ian path Main Street wouldstay as it exists now. The goal i s to dedicate the land to carr y bikes and pedestr ians

instead of vehicles.


40/96

34

2nd phase

2nd phase

Traffic Engineering

Traffic EngineeringParks DivisionPlanning

E. Bridge Lighting. Install lighting on the recentlyconverted railroad bridge as soon as possible. Lightfixtures should illuminate ground and the sourceshould be concealed.

D. Bike Route Extensions. Construct an extension ofthe Mifflin Street bike route (with appropriateguidance signage) from North Dickinson Street tothe proposed west riverside bike/ pedestrian route,continuing across the existing railroad bridge

through Burr Jones Field to the Mifflin Street/FirstStreet intersection.


Mifflin Street Bike Route Extensions (Continued)

Mi fflin Street Bike Route Extensions. To provide a safe and convenient connection between the proposed west riverside bike/pedestrianroute and the existing Mifflin Street bike path, the YRP Committee recommends the extension of the Mifflin Street bike path northwardfrom Dickinson Street across the Trachte property to an intersection with the proposed west riverside bike/pedestrian route. In addition,to provide continuous bike/pedestrian access to the east side of the Yahara River, the YRP Committee proposes the further extension ofthe Mifflin Street bike route across the existing railroad bridge through Burr Jones Field to the Mifflin Street/First Street intersection.


C. Trachte Property Easement. Obtain an easementacross the Trachte property when and if it isredeveloped, to enable extension of the Mifflin Streetbike path from North Dickinson Street to the YaharaRiver Parkway or reclaim East Mifflin Street right-of-way from North Dickinson Street to the Parkway.

CED UnitTraffic EngineeringPlanning

3rd phase or as part of development plan forthe Trachte parcel.


41/96

35

3. Thornton Avenue Alternatives. The YRP Committee recommends closing or limiting access to sections of Thornton Avenue inorder to provide more open space for the Yahara River Parkway, including space for the proposed west riverside bike/pedestrian route,while ensuring adequate vehicular access for abutting property owners.

Between Sherman Avenue and East Johnson Street. Retain Thornton Avenue as is between Sherman Avenue and the Tenney Park parking

lot; construct a turn-around at this point, and eliminate Thornton Avenue between the turn-around and East Johnson Street.


A. Traffic Study. Request that the City conduct a trafficstudy, during peak use of Tenney Park, to assess theeffects of the recommended changes to ThorntonAvenue between Sherman Avenue and East JohnsonStreet. Also reconstruct Thornton Avenue and explorethe options for grass paver systems (seerecommendations 8a and 8c).

Traffic EngineeringEngineering

1st phase in the 1998 Engineering budget

3rd phase to reconstruct Thornton Avenue

Between East Johnson Street and East Washington Avenue.


B. Create two-way Thornton Avenue starting at EastDayton Street and ending at a cul-de-sac near EastJohnson Street. Remove Thornton Avenue from EastDayton Street to East Washington Avenue and make

necessary accommodations to abutting propertyowners.

Traf

yahara river parkway master plan june 1998

Documents