Reminder: School Zone speed limit is 20 mph in Madison

In the last couple of day, there have been a couple of articles reminding us that school is starting and motorists should drive carefully around schools. The Madison Police Dept. put out a press release, so I assume the articles were generated from that. Some also mention that the MPD will be enforcing speed limits and other traffic laws in school zones.

This is good, because everyone using the roads should be aware of kids going to and from school. And the article mention that we should "slow down." They are even starting to mention that motorists (and bicyclists, too) need to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

But something is missing, and it is bugging me that this little fact is left out. Neither the MPD press release nor any of the articles mention that the speed limit in school zones in Madison is 20 mph. It doesn't matter if that yellow sign is on Midvale Blvd, Milwaukee St, E Washington, or Regent St. No matter what the speed limit is at other times, or how fast the rest of the cars are going, when there are children present, the speed limit is 20 mph.

There are two schools on Midvale Blvd, also two schools on Regent St in a one mile stretch. Milwaukee St has several school zones strung together. And East High School, where two students were killed crossing the street, sits right on East Washington. And I have driven at 20 mph through each of these area, with kids present, and had people tailgate me, pass me unsafely on a 2-lane road, and generally been subjected to the treated as if I was trying to be a public menace.

You think you get dirty looks as a bicyclist riding in the middle of traffic? Try driving the speed limit past a school!

Soup Kitchen Lunch - a deal, but also maybe a sign of real financial trouble

Last Tuesday I was looking for a quick lunch between classes, and headed to the Lakefront Cafeteria at Memorial Union. I wasn't thrilled with the soup that day, but I spied a sign saying that they were serving soup, salad, bread, and a drink for $2.00 in the Great Hall. Whoa. Not a bad deal.

What also struck me was the name for this event: Soup Kitchen Lunch. It's part of the Union's Delicious Deals for Tough Times. Now I'm always happy to get a deal on a meal, but are things that bad for the UW population?

For my part, I'm, hoping they do this again, because the soup was very good, the rolls were fresh, and the salad was fresh greens, not some pale iceberg junk. I can make soup and bread a meal almost anytime, and $2.00 is a price I welcome.

Thursday I was back at the Lakeshore Cafeteria, and had a great Mediterranean vegetable soup. The soup was great, but a bowl was $4.50, and no bread or salad.