Madison's Arteries Need An Asprin, Not Surgery

There is clutter and trash masquerading as signage in Madison. You see it on Odana Road and East Washington, Park Street and Sherman Avenue.

The Wisconsin State Journal to informs us that City's arteries need surgery, leaders say.

The thrust of the story is that we must spend millions of public dollars to improve the main entrance ways to Madison:

Public expenditures and plans for new development are in the works to put the areas in a good position to prosper when the current recession lifts, said Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

For now though, despite some improvements, hundreds of thousands of motorists coming into Madison each day see patchworks of shabby older buildings and typical highway fare — fast-food stores, billboards and auto service stations.

The article focuses on the need for millions of dollars of public investment in the main corridor entrances to Madison, South Park Street, University Avenue, and East Washington.

Lauded as the finest entrance way to Madison is John Nolen Drive.  The John Nolen Drive entranceway was mostly the work of one city employee, planner John Urich. Urich worked tirelessly on the design and the ordinances to protect this spectacular approach to our city.

John's legacy is broad and deep.

Another significant contribution of Mr. Urich was the Madison sign ordinance. John is rolling over in his grave.

This city is a disgrace. The violations are overwhelming in volume and substance. It is debatable as to which venue, starting with State Street is the most offensive. The callous signage is on both public and private property. The situation, of course, was made worse, when the city allowed these portable advertisements on the sidewalks and terraces in an effort to offend pedestrians, those confined to wheel chairs, and anyone who would not like the community to look like a honkytonk.

Ironically, the strongest statement in the Wisconsin State Journal article on the issue is the caption below this photograph that reads, in part, "Billboards, fast food, gas stations and car part stores all part of the visual clutter of South Park Street."

Sorry, State Journal, and city officials.  Billboards, fast food, gas stations, and car part stores are all a very small part of the visual clutter. As I said, just go see the segments of Odana Road where there are offices and retailers who are not fast food or car parts stores, and you will see the real visual clutter.

The problem with visual clutter is that it also has economic consequences. Occupants of offices and retailers who do not want to be part of the clownish atmosphere, abandon such areas.Then rents and property values decline, and they are subsequently replaces with more garish uses.

Funny thing is there is a solution to this which does not cost millions of dollars. In fact it would cost less than one half of a full time salary.

Enforce the sign ordinance.

I am not saying that capital improvements are not needed in some areas. But I would not spend a penny on any capital improvements or even conduct a study of "recommended new features" until I knew what these areas looked like with enforcement of the sign ordinance.

Put it another way: How could you justify spending millions of public money or expect the private sector to spend tens of millions of their dollars if the street or avenue was to be plastered with illegal signs?

For those who want to know, we already have the well documented answer as to the reason the sign ordinance is not enforced:  "There is not enough money."

Comments

[Jon]

Whenever anyone in Madison complains about the traffic, I always ask them: "you've never lived anywhere else, have you?" Spend some time in Chicago, LA, New York, or any other large city, and you'll never complain about the Beltline's slowing down to 40 mph at peak traffic ever again.

I remember reading an article a while ago about the clutter in traffic signs actually reducing traffic safety by causing distraction. If too many legal traffic signs reduce safety, the proliferation of illegal distractions are surely dangerous.

[Judy Karofsky]

Don't forget the visual clutter from apartment rental signs. How many red keys do we have to see? How many free-standing (and poorly maintained) signs in the controversially blighted Mansion Hill? Most signs (i.e., "5-br apts for rent") don't relate to the structures they are affixed to, because apartment owners callously tack up generic ads for their city-wide range of offerings. Signs for August rentals remain visible all year. Johnson and Gorham are gateways, too . . . to our historic, otherwise beautiful, Downtown.

[Tracy]

Look, you reference the sign ordinance several times in this post, but don't actually say what it is. For those of us less informed, just what signs are in violation? How about a specific example?

Signed,

a confused reader.

[Paul]

Confused: here is the sign ordinance. It is long. Try section 31.10 for example. Basically signs cannot cover more than 30% ( and in some instances 20%)of the area of a window.

http://www.cityofmadison.com/BI/SignCode05-21-09.pdf