Madison's Everyday Engineering

No matter what time of year, it’s always a good time to recycle. However, what if you don’t know where to start? You’re in luck, the City of Madison has a Recyclopedia, put together and updated each year to serve the needs of the community to support recycling habits and needs. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts City of Madison Streets Division...

The intense pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic forced municipalities to find solutions for homelessness in the community—and the City of Madison was no exception. In just the last two years: the City of Madison Engineering Division led five huge projects to help people struggling with homelessness. It’s an incredible amount of work to address an issue in our community that really cuts to the core o...

After over a decade of process, the Madison Public Market is officially happening. It’s really happening. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts two key people in the Public Market Process: Engineering Division Facilities Management Project Manager Brent Pauba and Department of Planning, Community and Economic Development, Economic Development Divi...

Two major reconstruction projects are underway in 2023 in the City of Madison: Pleasant View Road and Atwood Avenue. Pleasant View Road is on the City's west side, and Atwood Avenue is on the City's east side. Both projects impact our community in multiple ways. Atwood is known for its vibrant connection to the east side of the City, and known for being bike-friendly and a path that plays host to...

A snowy mess moves into our area, and we look directly to our City of Madison snow professionals--- why? Because the snowy system impacts everything we have planned that day, our family’s plan, our work plan, children’s plans, school and any other extra activities. Snow removal is so important, and that process includes brine! However, brine can’t be used every snow system. City of Madison Enginee...

A new opportunity to create renewed connection with the beauty of our lakes and urban space, we’re talking about the generational project of John Nolen Drive Reconstruction paired with the intense Lake Monona Waterfront Design Contest. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Parks Division Landscape Architect Mike Sturm and City of Madison Engineeri...

The City of Madison wants its streets to be safer. That means slower speed limits, narrower roads, less traffic deaths. These changes make for safe streets in the City of Madison. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Traffic Engineering Engineer Ali Heinritz and City of Madison Engineering Division City Engineer Jim Wolfe to talk about how the Ci...

There has been no more than two City Engineers in the last two-three decades at the City of Madison, that’s saying something considering the amount of responsibility the position holds on the future of infrastructure in the City of Madison. This position impacts everyone living in the City of Madison, and in this podcast episode, we hear more about Jim’s vision for the division, the City and what...

Trees: a simple topic for some projects at the City of Madison, a bit more of a fuller conversation with conflicting opinions for others. In this podcast episode, City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Water Resource Engineer Phil Gaebler and Streets Division and Urban Forestry Superintendent Charlie Romines to talk about the big questions that alw...

Who would have thought there’d be so many fun names to officially name the City’s new electric trash and recycling compactors? The City of Madison held a contest, and the winning names were selected. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Streets Division Public Information Officer and Recycling Coordinator Bryan Johnson to reveal the names the Cit...

The next time a winter weather event moves through the City of Madison, property owners will need to remove snow and ice from public sidewalks and lots on their property, or they could face a new fine. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Engineering Water Resource Engineer Phil Gaebler and City of Madison Building Inspection Director Matt Tucker...

Life’s Blueprint: an episode focusing on the career journey of one of our staff members, to share more about them, how they got here and hopefully some information on how to move into a career in this industry. Andy Zwieg is a streets and paths design engineer at the City of Madison Engineering Division, and chances are, you’ve traveled on a street or path he’s designed every day. City of Madison...

Do you know where the water that washes down your storm drain goes? A Storm Drain Mural Program in Dane County, Wisconsin, is using art as a vessel to help teach students and communities about stormwater and where it goes. Dane County Land and Water Resources Department and the Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership started the program, and over 40 murals are painted in spots across Dane Co...

City of Madison Engineering Division Streets and Paths Design Engineer Fadi El Musa’s journey to the City of Madison Engineering Division took a lot of work, guts to relocate and courage to work through a language barrier in the interview process before landing in the Engineering Division. El Musa designs streets and paths at the City of Madison Engineering Division, which is part of the section t...

There are so many paths in our Engineering Division, and so we’ve started a segment within Everyday Engineering that focuses on the paths of different staff and careers within Engineering for anyone either looking, considering or trying to grow in the industry. Engineering Division Operations Supervisor Jay Schlimgen leads our Engineering Division’s crews that clean and maintain our City’s undergr...

We’ve introduced you to so many people so far as guests on Everyday Engineering, but now, we continue to kick off a new segment that shares what went into getting here, and maybe help anyone planning their path forward. Life’s Blueprint: an episode focusing on the career journey of one of our staff members, to share more about them, how they got here and hopefully some information on how to move i...

We’ve introduced you to so many people so far as guests on Everyday Engineering, but now, we continue to kick off a new segment that shares what went into getting here, and maybe help anyone planning their path forward. Life’s Blueprint: an episode focusing on the career journey of one of our staff members, to share more about them, how they got here and hopefully some information on how to move i...

Every little bit helps. The City of Madison has a 1,000 Rain Garden Goal, and if everyone plants just a little rain garden, not big or expensive, you rcan really help the whole stormwater system, however, in this episode, we talk about a big effort by some awesome watershed stewards, and they’re going to tell us how they did it. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hanna...

John Nolen Drive— it needs some improvements in the City of Madison, and the public planning process began in 2021, which is years before any digging or disruption happens. However, it’s not that easy getting to the construction phase, especially fo the people in charge of designing and re-imagining the most popular street in the community. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information O...

We’ve introduced you to so many people so far as guests on Everyday Engineering, but now, we want to kick off a new segment that shares what went into getting here, and maybe help anyone planning their path forward. Life’s Blueprint: an episode focusing on the career journey of one of our staff members, to share more about them, how they got here and hopefully some information on how to move into...

The City of Madison is one of many municipalities in the United States looking for creative, healthy and safe solutions to help community members experiencing unsheltered homelessness find a path forward, especially during the pandemic. The City of Madison constructed its Dairy Drive Sheltered Campground in record time, from buying and selecting the land, to working with Seattle-based Pallet to bu...

As the City works to plan reconstruction on an iconic passage into the City of Madison, so many people and ideas contributed to the current skyline and beautiful drive into the heart of the City on John Nolen Drive. Everyday Engineering Podcast Host and Engineering Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts a Madison Historian and Author David Mollenhoff to talk about what ideas and desig...

Anyone who walks, bikes, drives or travels in any way in the City of Madison knows how valuable street space is. There are so many options with use or reconstruction—sidewalk space, rain garden space, bike lane space, space for café dining and so much more. These options and questions are what are driving the City’s Complete Green Streets Initiative. And if you are asking yourself, 'will this impa...

When we're in landscaping and yard season, a lot of people may be trying to cut cost by doing a lot of the work themselves. So we’re here to help you in a number of ways: so you don’t create more issues for yourself from a stormwater perspective and so you can landscape without worry so that you truly are improving your yard not only to beautify but also to improve the environment. In this podcast...

It takes all of us to improve our stormwater system. It's a total team effort. But, if you have someone like the late Roger Bannerman leading the way through hard work and dedication, the difference for the community is huge. In this podcast episode, you will learn more in depth about Roger Bannerman, his passionate work that he accomplished for the City, and the strong influence he had on the sto...