Madison LakeWay

Tours of the Madison LakeWay continue into June—with upcoming dates on the 9th & 13th. Come see the route, ask questions, and experience the vision! Sign up on our website today!: https://www.madisonlakeway.org/

Calling all Madison residents looking for fun volunteer opportunities this summer! The Madison LakeWay Partners are working to bring a vibrant, community-focused waterfront to life—and volunteers play a key role. Get involved, support the vision, and be part of creating a signature park for everyone. Ready to make an impact? Sign up to volunteer today!: https://www.madisonlakeway.org/volunteer

Madison Park’s Ride the Drive 2026 is rolling back on Sunday, August 9. Grab your bike, your friends, your kids, your skates—whatever moves you—and enjoy Madison streets opened up just for fun. 🚲🌞

At the proposed Law Park Ledge, an ecologically sensitive design considers the capped park structure with a minimum of three feet of soil to support a diversity of plantings, including trees and shrubs. A native upland understory is integrated on slopes to curb soil erosion, and transitions to emergent wetland plantings along the shoreline to promote aquatic habitat.

From kayaking the lakes and biking 200+ miles of trails to soaking in sunsets at the Terrace, this city does summer right. Think farmers’ market mornings, festival-filled weekends, concerts, ice cream runs—and plenty of parks, patios, and cold drinks along the way. Curate your own Madison Summer Bucket List: https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/summer-things-to-do-madison/

Greener design, smarter water flow 🌿💧 New park plans use rain gardens, permeable paving, and reduced surface parking to naturally manage runoff while expanding lush planting areas. At Madison LakeWay's Law Park Ledge, deep soil supports diverse trees and shrubs, with native upland plants preventing erosion and shoreline wetlands boosting aquatic habitat—blending infrastructure with ecology every step of the way.

Stay in the loop and be part of Madison’s lakefront transformation. Sign up for the Madison LakeWay newsletter to get the latest updates, project milestones, and ways to get involved—delivered right to your inbox.
Big things are happening… don’t miss a moment.

👉 Join the list: https://www.madisonlakeway.org/newsletter

Simply put: Madison LakeWay is helping reimagine the Lake Monona waterfront—bringing together the community, the City of Madison, and philanthropic support to create a more connected, accessible, and environmentally vibrant lakeshore. From improving water quality and habitat to celebrating local history and design, it’s a once-in-a-generation effort to make the waterfront a welcoming destination for everyone.

We continue to dive deeper into the guiding principles of the Madison LakeWay. Today's focus is on the Nature Dialogue: To Inspire Generational Stewards.

The waterfront site is an important missing link to create greater ecological
connectivity along the lake edge. To enhance the ecological system, the design adds a diversity of lacustrine and mesic habitats to increase species connectivity around Lake Monona. The proposed lakefront is designed to be resilient and responsive to the strong winds, waves, and ice shoves of Lake Monona. Removeable floating wetlands are anchored to piles and the lake bed, helping to dissipate waves. Boardwalk piles are equipped with panels to reduce wave energy. Off-shore sills made of natural stone are strategically positioned under boardwalk piles to protect shoreline wetlands. Lake-side features such as recreational access points and piers have been designed to avoid critical fish habitat. Piers near fish habitat use special paving systems such as glass to allow sunlight to reach the water surface below. In shallower areas, piled piers extending over the water include attached structures for fish habitat.