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City Cast Madison

Tips and tricks by Madison locals, for locals.

Every city has its own set of unwritten rules and insider information that can only be learned through time, trial, and error.

But thankfully, you don’t have to search far and wide or wait years to learn Madison’s secrets because you have us.

tips and tricks for living on the isthmus

 we’ve put together after (many) years spent in this crazy and special place we call home.

 but beer can be sold up until midnight. With that said, counties and municipalities can implement their own laws and restrictions on alcohol sales. In Madison, 

But if you find yourself in need of a six-pack and it’s after 9 p.m., 

 on Sherman Ave. The liquor store is technically part of the Village of Maple Bluff, which doesn’t have any ordinances restricting alcohol sale times beyond Wisconsin state law. This means you can get beer there until the store closes at midnight. You’ll pay a little extra though!

If you’re planning a big getaway, odds are, you’ll be flying out of Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Rather than taking a flight over the state border, City Cast Madison Producer Dylan Brogan recommends taking the bus.

, which can save you money and lighten your carbon footprint.

When buying concert tickets to shows at The Sylvee, High Noon Saloon, Majestic Theatre, or Orpheum Theater you can avoid the added online service fees by buying directly from the in-person box office. The one drawback is that 

Listener Dan F. also noted for concerts and other events at The Sylvee, parking is free and open to the public after 6 p.m. in the Madison Gas & Electric lot.

If you’re looking for peace and quiet at the grocery store, the best time to go is during sporting events. Whether the Badgers are playing at Camp Randall or the Packers have a game in Green Bay, you can expect empty aisles and short checkout lines.

City Cast Madison podcast host Bianca Martin also recommends taking advantage of Woodman’s 24-hour schedule. Who says you can’t make a grocery run at 10 p.m.?

 on things we wish someone told us about living in Madison.

More hacks here 🎧 

✨ How to Live Your Best Madison Life

Madison Life Hacks

 for babies. But when it comes to supplying breast milk while out and about, new parents may not always have access to the facilities they need to properly care for their babies.

 in any public or private location where the parent and child are otherwise authorized to be. Wisconsin is also one of 31 states that exempts breastfeeding from public indecency laws.

Madison has made strides to support breastfeeding parents

 by providing spaces for breastfeeding in city buildings. The University of Wisconsin-Madison also has 

These spaces are not always clearly marked or advertised. However, Public Health Madison and Dane County has created a detailed map of places to pump across the isthmus.

Below you'll find the location of these lactation spaces and descriptions of what to expect from each space.

Click here to open the map in another window.

This article has been updated to include facts about Wisconsin's breastfeeding laws.

Here's a map of places to pump across the isthmus.

Where to Find Public Lactation Spaces in Madison

When the ice of winter thaws and flowers start to bloom, Madisonians know the best season is just around the corner — farmers' market season.

While most folks are well aware of the Dane County Farmers' Market held on the Capitol Square, there are plenty of markets for those who prefer to stay out of downtown.

Here's a map of some of Madison's many spring and summer markets. Please note this is not an exhaustive list, if you have a market to add, send us an email at 

Here's where you can shop local across the isthmus

Where to Find Madison Farmers' Markets

Madison and its local government can feel like it has its own language, especially if you are new to the city.

This dictionary of key terms, local projects, and phrases like “hairball intersection” will get you familiarized with Madison’s lexicon.

📚Rather than writing a giant alphabetical list, we've separated terms into categories.

 of Madison’s City Council are called alders. These individuals are elected every two years and represent a different district in the city. Find your alder 

: The City Council, also known as the Common Council, is Madison’s elected legislative body. It’s 

 who each represent a different district in the city and serve two-year terms.

: Madison’s mayor is the chief executive officer of the city and serves a four-year term. The mayor supervises and appoints city officers and heads of departments.

: Madison’s capital budget funds major projects like constructing new facilities, maintaining roads and parks, and buying major equipment.

: Madison’s operating budget funds the day-to-day needs — employees, materials, and supplies — required to keep the city running.

 that help guide legislation in the city. Boards and commissions have some independent power to make decisions on behalf of the city while committees are generally limited to making recommendations or reports to the mayor or City Council.

: This committee is responsible for reviewing all alcohol license applications, addressing violations, and developing policies related to alcohol.

: This committee makes recommendations on changes to the city’s budget and other issues with fiscal implications. The Finance Committee makes and submits a proposed budget to City Council on or before Nov. 15 of each year.

This commission is responsible for designating and maintaining landmarks and historic districts in Madison that represent the city’s cultural, social, economic, political and architectural history.

: The Plan Commission’s responsibilities include making a master plan for the physical development of the city, and reviewing decisions regarding sale or lease of land, rezoning requests, and land annexations. The commission makes the final decision on land divisions, conditional use requests, and appeals for certain Urban Design Commission decisions.

This board is independent from the Madison Police Department, responsible for hiring and overseeing the 

 and works with the monitor’s office and the community to make recommendations on issues like police discipline and use of force.

: This commission makes decisions on issues affecting transit (like bus fares and route changes), parking, pedestrians, bicycles and motor vehicles, and strategies to maximize travel choices.

This commission is generally charged with assuring the “highest quality” of design for all public and private projects in Madison and the general appearance of buildings, structures, landscaping, and open areas. Commissioners review planned developments, residential building complexes, and public projects.

: Madison's Central Business Improvement District (BID) is a type of taxing assessment district that gets funding from an additional tax on businesses. Its funds support programs like the Madison Night Market and public enhancements like holiday lights and planters. The district includes State Street from Park Street to the Capitol Square, and the Capitol Square area.

Madison’s Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) program is a mobile crisis response unit that responds to community behavioral health emergencies that don’t require an armed police response.

: Downtown Madison, Inc. is a nonprofit advocacy and member-based organization that works to support downtown Madison.

: This acronym stands for Madison Metropolitan School District, which is the city’s public school system. (Sharing the same letters, this acronym can also refer to the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.)

: Madison School & Community Recreation provides enrichment activities like after-school programming, sports, and adult art classes to the Madison students and broader community.

Short for Madison Ultimate Frisbee Association, this group offers four leagues throughout the year.

: Short for "request for proposal" and "request for bid." These are initial steps in a project that formally announces the project and outlines what is needed from a responding contractor.

: Short for tax incremental district, a TID is a geographic area within a municipality, like the city of Madison, created for development or rehabilitation.

: Tax Incremental Financing (TIF), is a public financing tool that cities can use to encourage development opportunities and expand the future tax base. For example, TIF funding supported the 

: Transit-oriented development is centered around public transit, designed with pedestrians in mind, is compact, and typically includes a mix of housing, retail, and other amenities. Madison is encouraging this type of development along the future bus rapid transit (BRT) line through the use of a TOD overlay zoning district.

: Transportation Demand Management is a policy that encourages strategies like public transit, carpooling, bicycling, walking, and telecommuting to reduce vehicle trips and promote alternatives to single occupant vehicles.

: W-O-R-T (89.9 FM) is Madison’s listener-sponsored community radio station that offers music, news, talk shows, and public affairs programming. The radio station broadcasts from 118 S. Bedford St. (you can’t miss the mural of musical instruments on the side of the building) and covers a 50-mile radius.

: W-S-U-M (91.7 FM) is the University of Wisconsin–Madison student-run community radio station.

: The new transit system has been years in the making. Compared to Madison's current transportation system, BRT will travel in dedicated lanes with fewer stops but more frequent service.

: Madison’s Capital Improvement Plan outlines funding for the upcoming year and future investments over the following five years.

: The infamous “hairball” intersection is located at John Nolen Drive, South Blair, East Wilson, and Williamson streets. The 2022 reconstruction project includes new left turn lanes and medians in addition to removing a problematic driveway in the hopes of untangling the intersection.

 The 1950s-era City-County Building jail has long been considered outdated and was recommended to close in 2016. This long-debated project would bring all jail facilities downtown, construct a new tower, and be the 

: Judge Doyle Square is named after Judge James Doyle, who was a U.S. federal judge in Wisconsin. Its physical location consists of two blocks downtown that hold the Madison Municipal Building, East Wilson Street parking garage, and apartments. It’s a complex multi-million public-private development that has been in the works for over a decade.

: Madison is considering how Lake Monona’s waterfront will look in the future with the help of a conceptual plan from internationally renowned and Boston-based design firm Sasaki. The firm plans to offer a master plan to the City Council in October.

Expected to open in 2025 at the corner of First and East Johsnon streets, the year-round market will offer food and goods from local entrepreneurs. It will also house a food innovation business center to support the growth of small businesses.

: Built into the fabric of Madison’s northside, the former Oscar Mayer processing plant located to the west of Packers Avenue and south of Aberg Avenue is now guided by a special area plan that aims to connect the north and east side, add a mix of housing, create a public transit and bicycle hub, form a walkable commercial district, mixed-use area, and major employment corridor.

: This plan, which was adopted in 2022, will guide future development in south Madison and included a framework to welcome residents of the town of Madison, which officially became a part of the city in 2022.

 in 2020 as an effort to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries that occur on city streets by 2035. The initiative uses speed reduction, community engagement, data, and more to reach its goals.

The Ultimate Madison Dictionary

, the world’s largest annual campaign to remember those lost to overdose and take action to prevent future tragedies.

Unfortunately, Madison and Dane County are no strangers to overdose.

Just this summer, paramedics responded to 

 that resulted in two deaths. In June, one 24-hour period saw 

 that ended with another two fatalities. And earlier this month, 

 in less than three days on Madison’s east side.

Here are some tips for staying informed and safe when it comes to potential overdose situations.

A major factor in overdose levels is the mixing of high-potency opioids (like fentanyl) into other drugs. Public Health Madison & Dane County provides fentanyl test strips, naloxone, syringe disposal, safer injection supplies, condoms, and sexual health tests all for free through its 

Free tests and services are also available at 

Safe Communities Recovery Coach 24/7 Helpline

guide on how to properly use fentanyl test strips

 early can save lives. Be on the lookout for pale, sweaty, or clammy skin, blue lips and fingertips, slow or irregular breathing, and difficulty or inability to wake up.

Naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan, is a nasal spray that can be used to help reverse the effects of an overdose. You can purchase it over the counter, but many health care providers and 

guide on how to safely administer naloxone

PHMDC watches hospital and ambulance data for unexpected increases, or spikes, in overdoses. When the numbers start to climb, the agency will issue an overdose alert. You can 

 on what’s driving overdoses in Madison.

💉 How to Prevent a Fatal Drug Encounter

But did you know that your little orange card 

 than just books? Here are a few things you can do with a Madison Public Library card.

Five of Madison’s nine library locations 

 for anyone to use. Technically, you don’t even have to check the seeds out. Just take them, plant them, and see what grows!

There are dozens of plants to choose from, including flowers, herbs, and edibles like tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini.

Once your garden has bloomed, pay it forward by bringing seeds back to the library to share.

The community passes can be checked out for up to a week at a time and give you access to BCycle’s more than 50 stations in and around Madison. You can also check out a helmet as needed.

Library cardholders must be at least 18 years old to check out the community passes.

 with all kinds of records — from birth and death certificates to high school yearbooks.

You can also access the popular Ancestry.com database at the library but you must be inside a Madison Public Library to use the service.

If you’re looking to spot some winged-wonders, try checking out one of the 

. Each pack comes with one pair of binoculars for adults, one pair of binoculars for kids, and helpful field and location guides to get you ready for exploring.

Metro service updates, Dane County Board resignations, and more. Here's what you need to know about Madison today.

📚 How To Use Your Library Card to Its Fullest Potential

August is moving season in Madison and every year the streets fill with trash and treasure alike as residents participate in the annual housing shuffle.

Locally, this time of year — specifically Aug. 14 and 15 — is known as Hippie Christmas. IKEA couches, cracked coffee tables, someone’s-grandma’s recliner, and other discarded furniture turn the sidewalks into temporary flea markets where everything is free.

. These days, much of what gets tossed to the curb ends up in the landfill. The city estimates August moving days generate more than 1 million pounds of waste every year.

Whether your lease is up this week or not, here are a few things to keep in mind when taking out the trash.

. Make sure you empty, flatten, and bundle cardboard.

When it comes to recycling plastic, a good rule to remember is that items should have a lid or a handle to be recycled. This means no straws, no plastic bags, and 

In Wisconsin, many small electronics can’t be tossed in the trash because 

. Instead, items like TVs, desktop computers, monitors, and laptops can be brought to the 

 you won’t have to complete work orders for large items.

Items like couches, desks, and chairs don’t require any fees for pick up and should be put out neatly onto curbs. Try to keep items together if possible and make sure they don’t obstruct fire hydrants or street signs. Keep your stuff out from under low-hanging wires and trees, too. Remember, there are real people coming to pick these items up for you, don’t make their lives harder by making a mess.

 that will take your unused items for donation. Websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are always good options as well. Just make sure to take the proper 

What do you want to see us explain about Madison?

♻️ How To Be a Better Recycler This Moving Season (and Always)

It’s winter in Madison, and whether you just moved to Wisconsin’s capital city or have lived here for decades, you might need to brush up on tips to help you thrive.

It just snowed. Am I responsible for cleaning my sidewalks?

How can I stay up to date on these winter rules?

I bike to work. Will my path be cleared after it snows?

Will my bus route be affected during a snowstorm?

It just snowed. Am I responsible for clearing my sidewalks?

 Yes! If you own or live in housing that is immediately located next to a public sidewalk, you’re 

 to remove any snow or ice that accumulates by noon of the day after the snow or ice stopped.

If you live on a corner lot, budget extra time to clear all the sidewalks around your residence. Don’t forget snow plows may push snow into the driveway you just cleared. It’s not personal, but it is frustrating. Ask friends who owe you a favor to shovel your sidewalks (or make other plans) if you’re out of town during a snowstorm. Don’t put your shoveled snow in the street (

 is to make public sidewalks safe for pedestrians. It also specifies that the sidewalk should be clear from edge to edge. 

Unshoveled sidewalks can be reported online

, but in the spirit of being good community members, knock on your neighbor’s door and ask them to remove the snow first.

If the sidewalk hasn’t been cleared in time, the property owner 

, fined and receive a bill for the cost of city crews from removing the snow and ice. Unpaid bills will be added to the owner’s property tax. 

If you’re unable to clear snow because of age or disability, you can request an extension by calling Building Inspection at (608) 266-4551 and providing your address. This gives single-family, owner-occupied homes an additional 72 hours to clear sidewalks and driveways.

If you’re renting, check with your landlord to see who is responsible for snow and ice removal. A lease should state if the tenant is responsible for shoveling the sidewalks and clearing the ice. But sometimes it doesn’t. Here’s a 

If you lease grounds in addition to the interior of the rental unit and have “exclusive possession” of the yard, sidewalk or exterior, you’re likely responsible for snow removal.

If you’re responsible for mowing the lawn, you’re likely also responsible for shoveling snow and removing ice.

If you rent in an apartment building that has common spaces and your lease doesn’t specify rules about shoveling snow, then you’re likely not responsible for shoveling snow or removing ice.

If ice is too difficult to remove from sidewalks and driveways, tenants can use sand to prevent the ice from being dangerous. This should also be done by noon on the day after the ice has stopped. 

 throughout the city (bring your own shovel and pail!). Barrels of sand can be found around the city at heavily-used crosswalks.

Salt use should be done in moderation. Any salt on Madison’s roadways spreads into local lakes, waterways, groundwater, and soil, and

. Also, salt doesn’t work when the temperature 

 amended in 2022, the city now requires residents to remove excess salt and chemical melting agents following ice or snow melting. These materials also should not “unreasonably accumulate,” according to the ordinance.

Failure to do this could result in fines ($124 for a first offense and $187 for subsequent violations), but the city plans to 

The City of Madison, Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, and Public Health Madison & Dane County partner with 

 to reduce salt pollution. For a guide to using salt, 

 A coffee mug of salt is enough to treat a 20 foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.

Sign up here for daily alternate side parking reminders.

You’ll get a text every day at 5 p.m. telling you what side of the street to park. You can also use the 

From Nov. 15 to March 15, Madison follows

 This means that on even-numbered calendar days, drivers are required to park on the even-house numbered side of the street from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. On odd-numbered calendar days, park on the odd-house numbered side of the street during the same timeframe.

But if you live in the Snow Emergency Zone, alternate side parking is only in effect during a snow emergency. This zone (

) covers the downtown isthmus area and several of the surrounding neighborhoods.

 when all residential streets need to be plowed. This typically occurs when snow accumulates to three inches or more. During a snow emergency, people who park in the 

 must follow alternate side parking rules for a 

The city will always declare a snow emergency before 9 p.m. on the night it will start. Snow emergencies are usually 48 hours long, according to Bryan Johnson, the city’s recycling coordinator and public information officer. Sometimes the second night is canceled, and in other cases, the snow emergency is extended past two days.

It’s best to park off street when it snows. Plows will push snow right up to the curb. If that’s where your car is, you’re likely to get snowed in.

During a snow emergency, you can park for free between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. in the 

 that have cashiers. Some lots do not have cashiers, like the Buckeye Lot near State Street, for example. These are not free during snow emergencies.

Alternate side parking rules do not apply on streets where parking is restricted to one side of the street at all times.

If you live on a cul-de-sac, you have to follow alternate side parking rules unless your home is 

If you got towed, call the Madison Police Department at (608) 266-4075 to get the location of your car.

 about snow emergencies and alternate side parking rules.

Madison will plow arterial bike paths as needed after it snows and when a general plowing is underway. The city will also send plows on the bike paths after street plowing is finished to clear any snow buildup.

Biking in on-street bike lanes is tough after a snowfall. Parked cars present challenges for plowing, snow removal is expensive and places to store snow are limited. The city will clear snow from on-street bike lanes when a street significantly narrows. Bike path concerns can be 

Buses can fall behind during a snowfall. Metro Transit recommends being prepared for longer wait times and disruptions in service. Plan extra time for your commute, and 

Am I responsible for clearing my sidewalks? What about salt? We've got the answers.

How to Walk, Bike, and Drive in Madison This Winter

Winter can be tough on homes. Here’s what to do in the case of an emergency and tips for conserving energy and costs this winter.

In case of an emergency, know where the water shut off valve is located in your home. To avoid pipes freezing, follow these 

If a pipe bursts in your home and you can’t shut your water off, contact the 

. Call 608-266-4665 for after-hours emergencies. If you smell natural gas, leave immediately and call Madison Gas and Electric at 608-252-1111.

When it’s cold, renters’ and homeowners’ energy costs often increase. Tips like turning down the thermostat 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day can help save an estimated 10% on heating costs, according to MGE.

 ways to heat your home. If you crave the heat, try using a heated blanket or heating pad during the day instead. Opening curtains to allow maximum sunlight during the day can also help warm rooms.

can be found on MGE’s website. If you have questions on saving energy, email MGE’s energy experts at AskExperts@mge.com or call the MGE Home Energy Line at 608-252-7117.

If you’re behind on your bill, MGE will not cut off your service 

. Also, financial assistance may be available through the 

Here’s what to do in the case of an emergency and tips for conserving energy and costs this winter. 