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Why UW-Madison officials don’t light Lakeshore Path

By Tomer Ronen STAFF WRITER

On sunny days in Madison, hundreds of students, staff and community members traverse the Howard Temin Lakeshore Path.

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However, when the sun goes down, the path empties. With minimal lighting on the path at night and news of incidents circulating, many Madison residents — especially women and minorities — fear the Lakeshore Path and avoid walking on it alone at night. The path has garnered such a notorious reputation that many have dubbed it the “Rapeshore Path.”

A University of Wisconsin-Madison student reported being called racial slurs and confronted by a man while on the path in July 2022. In October 2022, a woman reported being sexually assaulted on the path.

As a direct route between downtown and the Lakeshore neighborhood, the path remains a popular way for many students to walk home. Yet many students avoid it due to its lack of lighting, especially in the evening.

“I generally feel safe if it’s light out,” sophomore Camber Walvoort said. “When it’s dark, I’m definitely scared, and I will have my flashlight on — or just not go on the path.”

Several groups — including the Associated Students of Madison (ASM), UW-Madison Police Department (UWPD), UW-Madison administration and students — all have different visions for the path.

Former ASM Budget Committee Chair and current District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan has said making everyone happy is a tough task.

“There are so many tiny groups that have a say over it,” Govindarajan said. “It’s impossible to please all of them, and that’s basically what the trouble is.”

While students want more lights along the path, environmental groups say adding lights will have a negative environmental impact on the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.

“Night lighting can impact wildlife,” the Lakeshore Nature Preserve said in a November 2020 email obtained by The Daily Cardinal. “We are especially concerned about the drop/negative impact on insects and the effect that has on so many species.”

Former Campus Planner Gary Brown indicated the path is left unlit for a different

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