This May, part of State Street was noticeably transformed as a part of a new pedestrian mall experiment known as “#FlockToState” — inspired by the university’s infamous pink, plastic flamingo tradition, according to the “#FlockToState” website. This experiment came to fruition in a collaborative effort between the City of Madison and the Madison Central Business Improvement District (BID). The experiment is aimed at revitalizing the downtown area and supporting local small businesses. With advocates like Alder Bennett and others championing the idea, the project, spearheaded by the city’s Downtown Coordinating Committee (DCC), aims to transform several blocks of the iconic street into a vibrant, car-free public space and has been in the works for some time.

Planner with the City of Madison Dan McAuliffe said the idea for the experiment arose from a major change in Madison’s transit network last summer. Originally, buses could turn onto and off of State Street, which was extremely challenging with the amount of pedestrians.

 “I’m pretty sure you’ve been to State and Lake, you could imagine what trying to turn a bus through that intersection might look like,” McAuliffe said.

When buses were rerouted away from that area of State Street, it presented an opportunity to rethink the use of the space. McAuliffe explained that a lot of community discussion took place to make a vision for the few blocks.

There was an official ribbon cutting ceremony May 8 to mark the launch of the pedestrian mall. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway was joined by other executives from BID and the City of Madison to deliver remarks. The experiment, authorized by the city council for 2024, features street paintings, sculptural elements and strategically placed benches to encourage foot traffic and discourage vehicular access.

Prior to the official launch day, hundreds of volunteers helped paint color polka dots and other stencils. 

“We put out a call for volunteers hoping to get just a couple people, and were stunned when we had to shut it down the next day because we had already 600 people and we didn’t have nearly enough, you know… equipment, circles and stuff,” said McAuliffe. 

According to McAuliffe, UW arts students helped put base colors down on the street. McAullife explained that although they hired local artists to paint and design, that they still wanted to make the whole process community focused. Based on this idea, they made the deliberate decision to use stencils so anyone could easily participate. 

Executive Director of BID Matt Tramel explained their company’s role in this initiative. The BID is the programming partner for the pedestrian mall and, as Tramel explained, they’re tasked with producing events and activating the numerous blocks of State Street to create a vibrant and welcoming environment.

“The painting event was so amazing. That whimsy on people’s faces… seeing something transform from an asphalt canvas to a community-driven piece of art was just amazing,” Tramel said. 

BID is responsible for programming the popular Madison Night Market, and almost all other events that require booking artists and vendors. Tramel highlighted some upcoming events that students may be interested in, such as the Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Walk, a collaboration with UW Department of Parent and Family Programs Family Weekend. Other upcoming events he mentioned include: Black on State Block Party, Science on the Square and the #MusicInMadison concert series. 

Planning this experiment required months of interviews with city agencies, businesses and neighborhood groups, according to McAuliffe. With the new traffic rules, non-emergency vehicles are prohibited on State Street between Gorham Street and Hawthorne Court after 3 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends, according to the “#FlockToState” website. Because of this, the DCC had to notify and plan with every single State Street business within the designated area to work out how that change may impact deliveries. According to McAuliffe, the businesses were very cooperative and there have been little to no issues thus far. 

“We went up and down State Street before we set the closure hours because we understand they’re part of this,” McAuliffe said. “And if you make the vehicular restrictions so burdensome, then it defeats the purpose. We did a lot of pre-work.”

The feedback will be crucial in shaping the future of the pedestrian mall, as the experiment has only been authorized by the council for 2024, according to McAuliffe. Tramel emphasized the importance of gathering input through a survey available on the BID’s website, saying,

“It’s going to be important to connect with the small businesses, residents and visitors to understand what worked and what didn’t, and get their ideas for improvement,” McAuliffe said.

The “FlockToState” official website also includes a feedback form. McAuliffe said that the council’s goal was to set benchmarks to assess the project’s success in increasing foot traffic and improved business performance.

With the last events coming up in October, the pedestrian mall will be coming to a close shortly. The city has been closely monitoring the results, having been collecting data from surveys and Placer AI, a phone activity tracker. A comprehensive report will be presented to the city council later this year, informing whether the pedestrian-friendly concept will continue beyond 2024, according to McAuliffe. 

McAuliffe believes that they’ve seen enough of a positive reaction from the public and students, and personally believes that something will be back in 2025. 

“This is a really exciting opportunity for Madison to reimagine the heart of our downtown,” said McAuliffe. “We’re eager to see how the community embraces this new public space and what it means for the future of State Street.”

With a diverse lineup of events, from live music to science exhibits, the pedestrian mall is revitalizing downtown Madison and supporting the local small business community. As the city and BID continue to refine the project, the positivity surrounding the project will be a big consideration in whether the City of Madison chooses to continue it in years to come. With the summer coming to its end, students and downtown residents can still enjoy the last few city-sanctioned events on State Street.