Preliminary plans to install a contraflow bike lane on Capitol Square will proceed despite opposition from legislative officials.

City officials said construction would go ahead in May on expanding the streets on Capitol Square by two feet, which the city hopes will allow for future implementation of a contraflow bike lane. State officials overseeing the Capitol grounds have opposed the bike lane, citing safety concerns. But the city believes it is needed to address illegal biking on the sidewalk.

Right now, bikers must either use the sidewalk or circle the entire capitol to go left at the square. The proposed lane would be on the inside edge of the square and feature a five foot lane with buffers of green paint separating it from other vehicles.

The city council will vote to approve the plans on Monday, Chris Petykowski, principal city engineer, said. Despite lacking state approval, Petykowski said the widening will include the creation of conduits that will allow the city to easily install bike signals once approved.

For many years, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the city has wanted to construct a contraflow bike lane on the square. But city staff have concluded too many conflicts with buses exist to allow for a bike lane with a cemented barrier like the one on University Avenue.

Despite the apparent optimism found in the construction plan, Verveer said the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board responsible for approving the bike lane unanimously opposed to the plan in January due to safety concerns. Additionally, Verveer said the board has concerns over how the bike lane would affect parking on the square, which many legislative staff use.

“They would rather have no bike lane at all than a mediocre one without a cement barrier,” Verveer said.

To that end, the city is considering possibly moving bus routes to the so-called outer loop, which extends around Capitol Square. This would increase safety, but a cement barrier would still be unlikely.