Beltline PEL Study

Corridor Study location | Study background | PEL Study details (current phase) | PEL Study outcome | What happens next? | PEL Study schedule | Status/phase | Contact information​

WisDOT has published the Final Beltline PEL Study Summary Report. Please visit the PEL Reports page to view the document. This completes the Beltline PEL Study.

Corridor Study location

The Beltline (US 12, 14, 18 and US 151) Study limits extend along 20 miles of US 12, from US 14 in Middleton to County N in Cottage Grove, in Dane County

Study background

In November 2011, Wisconsin’s Transportation Projects Commission authorized the study of long-term solutions for the Beltline from US 14 in Middleton to County N in Cottage Grove. To complete the study, WisDOT will use a three phase study process.

  1. The first phase of this process, collected and analyzed origin-destination (O-D) information for motorized vehicles on the Beltline and in the surrounding Dane County area. The O-D report was completed in 2014.
  2. The second phase, which began in 2013, is a Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) Study. The study was paused in 2016 due to reevaluation of statewide priorities. It was restarted in 2030 and completed in May 2026.
  3. Following completion of the PEL phase, WisDOT can begin the third phase of the study, which is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) phase. This could include the development of one or more environmental documents.

PEL Study details

The Beltline PEL Study was a planning-level analysis of the effectiveness of all possible solutions to the Beltline's current and long-term needs; in particular, determining to what extent possible solutions would address the existing safety, capacity and geometric issues as well as meet identified study objectives.

In addition to improvements to the physical Beltline or crossings of the Beltline, changes or improvements to alternate modes of travel, other area transportation corridors, and existing Beltline connections to the adjacent road network were analyzed.

Issues and impacts that may result from each potential solution were documented.

PEL Study outcome

The outcome of the PEL Study is a final PEL Summary Report. The PEL summary report includes a description of all strategies considered and documentation showing whether, and to what extent, each addresses the existing Beltline issues and accommodates future growth in the Madison area.

A Preferred Strategy Package is also identified. The Preferred Strategy package includes improvements throughout the corridor that are recommended for more detailed investigation in future National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) studies.

Finally, the PEL Summary Report identifies how the corridor could be divided into different sections for future NEPA studies and recommends a timeframe for when those studies could begin.

What happens next?

After finalizing the PEL Summary Report, WisDOT can begin a NEPA study on one or more sections of the corridor. This would involve conducting a detailed investigation of the potential improvements identified in the PEL Summary Report that have the potential to address the Beltline transportation issues.

The potential improvements would be refined in the NEPA process to address Beltline issues and minimize and mitigate impacts and cost.

​ Status/phase

The Beltline PEL Study was completed in May 2026.

Contact information

Jeff Berens
WisDOT Major Studies Project Manager
(608) 245-2656
jeff.berens@dot.wi.gov

Michael Bie
WisDOT Southwest Region Communications Manager
(608) 246-7928
michael.bie@dot.wi.gov

Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT)
Southwest Region, Madison Office
2101 Wright St.
Madison, WI 53704
Phone: (608) 246-3800
TTY: 711
Email: swr.dtsd@dot.wi.gov