Madison officials are preparing a new blueprint for downtown development that would reshape how the area handles growth, transportation and public space — including a possible return of passenger rail service to the city center. The update to the Downtown Area Plan began in December. The plan will guide decisions on development, infrastructure, business activity, public programs and investment in the years ahead. City planners expect to release initial recommendations this fall. The need for a new plan reflects major changes downtown and around the state Capitol since the previous plan was adopted in 2012. Downtown’s population has grown 36% to about 34,000 people, according to city planner Dan McAuliffe. The area has added roughly 7,500 housing units and attracted $1.3 billion in private investment over the past 15 years. Transportation patterns have shifted as well. Transit use downtown has increased 22% since 2013, while vehicle volumes on the isthmus have fallen 15% since 2015 even as the isthmus population grew 14%. “Our streets are changing, and that is a real opportunity,” city Transportation Director Christof Spieler said at a recent traffic-safety meeting hosted by downtown Ald. Will Ochowicz. Public feedback has emphasized making downtown easier and safer to navigate without a car. Residents ranked creating a more enjoyable, safe and understandable downtown transportation environment as the third-most transformational of 10 proposed focus areas, behind housing and improved lakefront access. Passenger rail is a prominent part of that discussion. City officials are exploring a temporary and potentially permanent Amtrak station at 1 West Wilson Street, near the Capitol and Monona Terrace. McAuliffe said planners are excited about the possibility of adding passenger rail downtown. The city’s recent assumption of control over John Nolen Drive could give Madison more flexibility to manage passenger drop-off areas and pedestrian access, McAuliffe said. It could also improve connections to Monona Terrace and a future Lake Monona waterfront project. Locating the station downtown would allow more travelers to walk to their destinations instead of relying on rideshare vehicles, private cars or buses, Spieler said. That could reduce pressure on limited downtown street space. Traffic safety is another major concern, particularly for pedestrians and bicyclists. Pedestrian crashes are concentrated downtown, where households are more likely to live without cars than in other parts of Madison. “This is the most intense pedestrian environment in the city, and clearly we are not providing a safe enough pedestrian environment in the place where it is needed the most,” Spieler said. Potential improvements include stronger street lighting, more visible crosswalk markings, limits on right turns at red lights and broader street redesigns. Spieler said long-standing street layouts should not be treated as permanent if they no longer serve the community safely. Residents also raised concerns about cycling conditions north of the Capitol. Spieler said downtown remains a significant gap in Madison’s bicycle network, especially for people trying to travel from off-street paths to their final destinations on city streets. Wilson Street, where the potential rail station could be located, offers an example of how bike improvements could connect the Capitol area. Ochowicz identified clearer wayfinding and safer bicycle facilities on Johnson Street as priorities for the new plan. “I've seen two people get hit by cars on those, and I know of other accidents, and I know we need to make that safer,” Ochowicz said, referring to conditions on Johnson Street. He also said he did not want the city to miss another opportunity to improve bicycle safety during a future Gorham Street reconstruction. Planners are now reviewing feedback from public open houses and pop-up events held since April. The forthcoming recommendations will help determine how Madison balances new housing and investment with safer streets, expanded transit and more reliable connections for people walking and biking.