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Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Madison LakeWay project can't become a reality without a strong Madison LakeWay Partners organization to raise millions in funds, support the planning and construction process, and develop programming and stewardship that will ensure the LakeWay’s success for decades to come.

    You can help by donating to support the growth and strength of the Madison LakeWay Partners. Here are some options:

    - Support the Madison LakeWay Capital Campaign

    - Support the Madison LakeWay Capital Campaign

    - Join as a Friend of the LakeWay and encourage your friends to!

    - Encourage local businesses and organizations to become Champions of the LakeWay.

    - Forge partnerships in diverse communities

    - Volunteer - we welcome volunteers of all stripes.

    Please donate today or contact partners@madisonlakeway.org for more information on how you can get involved.

  • The Lake Monona Waterfront planning area includes 1.7 miles of lakeshore and 17 acres of public land spanning from Law Park over the John Nolen Causeway to Olin Park.

  • The SkyLine Pier is currently undergoing redesign to fit the budget and still be a landmark feature. The new design will be available in late April.

  • The Madison LakeWay Public Art Selection Committee and the Madison Arts Commission are now accepting applications from artists, artist teams, and artist led companies to provide site-specific artwork as part of the Madison LakeWay project.

  • A long‐term planning document that informs the direction of future capital improvement projects. Master plans are conceptual diagrams (not construction plans) that are implemented in phases, with each phase involving further design development and public engagement before construction. With the scope of the Madison LakeWay planning area and the scale of the potential improvements, implementation will likely be measured in decades for the planning initiative.

  • A park master plan is a conceptual design that shows a plan of possible uses by parkgoers. An implementation plan is a more detailed design that shows a plan of actual feasible uses along with detailed drawings and costs.

  • The LakeWay only includes the portion of Olin Park that is north of Lakeside street, which was acquired by the City in 2019. Because of its recent acquisition, this northern section of Olin Park is not included in the Olin Park master plan, which governs the remainder of Olin Park and Turville Woods.

  • The vision for a signature park along the shore of Lake Monona has been in the works for a long time (history).  The most recent iteration developed by the Madison Design Professionals sparked interest in the project.  The City of Madison commissioned a preliminary report as the first phase of the planning initiative. Spurring the timeframe, in 2019, City Engineering determined John Nolen Drive requires reconstruction from North Shore Drive to Olin Avenue. The anticipated construction timeframe for the roadway project is 2026 to 2027. The master plan initiative is an opportunity for Madison to develop a holistic vision for the Lake Monona shore and ensure the reconstruction of John Nolen Drive doesn’t prohibit future waterfront goals. Creating a master plan for the area adjacent to John Nolen Drive provides a cohesive land and transportation planning approach for this valued public lakeshore.

  • Yes, the City of Madison Common Council approved the master plan on April 16, 2024.

  • The Skyline portion of the LakeWay has received City of Madison and Dane County funding for design and construction, and is scheduled to begin construction in 2027. In addition to City and County funds, Madison LakeWay Partners is leading a private fundraising effort to support the implementation of the master plan.

  • The LakeWay master plan does not presently include Monona Terrace. However ongoing efforts to refine and implement the LakeWay master plan include coordinating with Monona Terrace to assure compatibility with Monona Terrace operations and expansion plans.

  • The projects involve differing scales of planning. The master plan initiative will create a conceptual plan to guide future waterfront development in the coming decades. The focus of the John Nolen Drive project is the reconstruction of the roadway and bridges in 2025. The two efforts are coordinated and continue to inform each other.

  • The Parks Division is working with a consultant team focused on engaging with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color representatives in Madison. Their outreach work will continue through the public review and comment phase. The selection process for the Ad Hoc Committee focused on ensuring a wide variety of voices were involved in the project. The confirmed appointments bring broad community representation with diverse perspectives to the plan development process.  The Madison LakeWay Partners have participated in the annual Unity Picnic in South Madison and will continue future outreach to Madison’s minority communities.

  • Lake Monona is a public waterway subject to State regulations and Public Trust Doctrine statutes. In 2016, with the FEMA map update, all of Lake Monona was zoned as flood storage. With this designation, any amount of lakebed filled requires a corresponding amount of removal (no net decrease in capacity). Any proposed lakebed fill will need to meet significant regulatory requirements.

  • Yes.  The initial phase of the project will extend from Lakeside Street to Broom Street.  The SkyLine is in the process of design, and construction is anticipated in 2027.  Additional areas of the LakeWay will be built as designs are finalized and funding secured.

  • The preliminary cost estimate for the Skyline is around $16 million.

  • From a combination of private philanthropic gifts and government sources including TIF funding.

  • TIF stands for tax increment financing. A TIF is a proven and frequently used city and county financing tool that captures the future value of appreciating property to pay for the current development costs of a significant civic initiative, like the waterfront project that benefits the community broadly. The TIF will set aside new taxes from both new and current businesses and residents in a designated district. This TIF district comprises the area adjacent to and surrounding the new park whose residents would benefit most from park and PAC development. A TIF for the park will not increase anyone’s taxes in the TIF district, city or county; rather, it is designed to collect the normal appreciation, if any, in commercial and residential real estate taxes within the TIF district and sets this incremental difference aside to be invested, distributed, or used to underwrite other financing, like a city bond, for the park.

  • The governance structure for the development and management of the park will be through a partnership between the Madison LakeWay Partners and the City of Madison.

  • The federal grant money is allocated to transportation funding and will be dedicated to the development of the causeway roadway and bridgework.  None of this money will be used for the LakeWay.

  • The City of Madison Parks Division, along with Sasaki, has worked closely with City of Madison Engineering to design the roadway so that it is located as closely to the bay side of the causeway as possible while maintaining two lanes each way.

  • The master plan will enhance the property values of the condominiums on Wilson Street, as well as the other condo buildings in the vicinity.  Condo owners will have direct access to the lake with amenities such as a cafe and an amphitheater.  Sasaki has been working with the City Parks and the Ad Hoc Committee to ensure that property owners’ concerns are addressed.


  • The master plan addresses safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists to the park via several means at numerous points.  Various options for safe crossing of John Nolen Drive are being explored.  The road reconstruction of John Nolen Drive will incorporate  improved at grade access at North Shore Drive.

  • The LakeWay master plan includes several areas where kayaks can access the lake.

  • The LakeWay master plan prioritizes improving the lake water quality and restoring animal habitats.  Stormwater originating on land and discharging to Lake Monona will be slowed and treated before entering the lake and ground through  rain gardens, bioswales, permeable paving, and water quality structures. Within the lake, diverse shoreline plantings,  floating wetlands and wetlands will filter pollutants and excess nutrients to promote a thriving lake edge habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife.

  • One of the goals of the LakeWay master plan is to provide lakefront amenities for South Madison. The LakeWay is the central, physical link between Madison’s South, Downtown, East, and West nei

    ghborhoods. It is also a primary connection to the Alliant Energy Center campus and the emerging Destination District. The master plan provides an environment for all visitors to move comfortably, safely, and enjoyably along the waterfront. The City hired Annette Miller, EQT By Design, to provide DEI guidance and engage BIPOC communities in the design competition community feedback process. Madison LakeWay presents a unique opportunity to both physically and metaphorically connect communities and bring people together.


  • Madison Lakes are beloved and are the heart of our culture and identity. But most of us in Madison are disconnected from our waterways. Lake Monona has 1.7 miles of public shoreline, yet, unless you own a boat or have lakefront property, very few of us have access to enjoy and gather near or in the water. This is a significantly missed opportunity for building community, for tourism and economic drive. We are missing the benefits this beautiful asset can offer – an asset that is right outside our front door. Only two cities in America are built on an isthmus – Madison and Seattle. Madison should more boldly embrace the highly rare and unique advantage of living on an isthmus.

  • Yes, LakeWay master plan, including the Skyline,  includes dedicated, separated paths for biking, walking and jogging.

  • The anticipated timeframe for the construction of John Nolen Drive is 2025-2027, with construction of the Skyline planned for 2027-2028.

  • Following reconstruction, John Nolen Drive will still have two lanes in each direction, but will resemble a city boulevard (30 mph) rather than a highway.  During construction, traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction and cyclists and pedestrians will be detoured around Monona Bay. When complete, the LakeWay will include a ten foot bikepath, a six foot pedestrian path, a jogging path, and boardwalks and piers so that persons pausing to enjoy the lake are off of the paths.

  • The SkyLine will run from Olin Park to NorthShore Drive.  This phase will feature separated bike, walking and jogging paths along with boardwalks allowing us to connect directly with the lake. The SkyLine Pier will provide space with views of the capital and Olin Park.

  • The Lounge is the lakefront terminus of Madison’s north-south urban axis, near where Broom street meets Lake Monona. It offers a breathtaking Capitol view from the lakefront and a canvas for exciting opportunities. The Lounge features a 10,000 square foot signature pier, and shoreline wetlands protected by a series of piers to enhance surface runoff filtration. This area will incorporate planted slopes to mitigate soil erosion, rain gardens along pathways, and a dedicated stormwater collection and pumping station at the underpass connection.

  • Overlooking Lake Monona, The Ledge will be the prime location for enjoying the water ski show and the majestic lake scenery, as well as for other water activities. The Ledge design takes advantage of the air rights above John Nolen Drive, creating a park on structure over the roadway and railway. This innovative concept significantly enhances connectivity and accessibility between East Wilson Street Lake Monona, creating the opportunity for more open spaces for public use. The design aims to establish an inviting and vibrant waterfront, complete with diverse programs like a waterplay area, an amphitheater, an adventure playground, and a beach area to provide several unique engagement opportunities for the entire community.

  • Nestled in the community, The Overlook (Olin Park) is a cherished hub of diverse outdoor activities for residents. With sprawling picnic meadows, a canopy walk, serene lakeside, cycling paths, sailing, and kayaking, it caters to various interests year-round. The canopy walk, following the park’s natural contours, guides visitors to a stunning viewpoint. From here, the city and Lake Monona views blend urban and natural beauty. The Overlook is more than recreation; it’s a center for youth education. The integration of the existing building with the new Nature Center/Art Studio offers indoor and outdoor learning spaces. The addition of a wet prairie enriches the park’s educational potential.

  • The LakeWay master plan contemplates substantial public shoreline park improvements. Aspects of the LakeWay may be subject to the referendum requirement of the Madison Shoreline Referendum ordinance. In July 2025, the Common Council exempted the portion of the LakeWay between Lakeside street and Broom street from this referendum requirement. Whether additional portions of the LakeWay are presented for a public referendum will be up to the Common Council, as those portions are designed and ready for construction.