John Coleman of Madison had an idea that everyone else said was impossible. He wanted to complete a critical link of Madison’s popular Southwest Bike path along a railroad corridor that seemed to small to allow for any additional users. The enormously popular bike path was missing a crucial link that would link Madison’s eat and west sides through the isthmus in the center of the UW Madison campus. City planners told him it was impossible – there wasn’t enough room in the railroad corridor that stood in the way.
Undeterred, John set out to make his vision a reality. In the end, john proved the critics wrong. It was possible and today the missing link of the bike path is the most heavily used path in the state. Of John’s accomplishment, mayor Dave Cieslewicz said, “This bike path is evidence of what one person can do for a community project when they put their mind to it. That person is John Coleman.”
John is a dedicate community activist. He is active in his Williamson Marquette Neighborhood, advocating for bike trails and local landscaping projects.
For more on the missing link portion of Madison’s Southwest Bike Path, visit his website for the project.