A green landscape with a city skyline and a road in the background is overlaid with text announcing the APA 2026 Annual Conference in Madison, WI, and details about registration options.
American Planning Association

Hosted by

American Planning Association

About this event

APA-WI 2026 Annual Conference

Wisconsin Union at UW Madison

800 Langdon St., Madison, WI 53706, USA

Wed 10/7 TOUR: TIF & Downtown Redevelopment in Middleton
$15

From 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM.


Meet at Stone Horse Green, then walk 3-4 blocks. Topics include using TIF for private redevelopment, taking advantage of the affordable housing extension, and future community campus planning, leveraging TIF.

Thu 10/8: TOUR: State Street Campus Garage Redevelopment
$15

From 10:00 AM - 12:15 PM.


A few blocks away from the Memorial Union, Madison’s State Street Campus parking garage has been redeveloped into a new 14 story mixed-use project. The public-private partnership between the City and Mortenson Development features an intercity bus terminal, 213 student-oriented apartments, and an innovative affordability collaboration with the UW-Madison, while maintaining a comparable level of public parking to support local businesses, residents, visitors, and the UW campus community.


The tour will start on the ground floor with a visit to the new intercity bus terminal and public parking facility, where attendees will hear about the design and construction of the public component of the project from City staff. Attendees will then join staff from Mortenson Development and EUA to visit Theory Madison – the student-focused apartments above the public project. Hear about design and development challenges and learn how the project team integrated the project alongside an urban college campus.


Thu 10/8: TOUR: Downtown Walking Tour
$15

From 2:00 - 5:15 PM.


Madison’s Downtown Area Plan is developing guidance to meet growth challenges while making downtown an active and vibrant place for the whole city to come together. What is the future of the State Street Pedestrian Mall? What about open space for all the new residents? Could Amtrak actually happen, and what about parking? This tour will walk through a downtown in a state of change, highlighting successes, challenges, and works-in-progress.


The tour will start at the conference venue along Lake Mendota and end at One Social Food Hall on Lake Monona.

Fri 10/9: TOUR-Madison Public Market
$15

From 9:45 AM - Noon


The Madison Public Market has faced a long road to development – its opening a few months ago has been eagerly awaited by merchants and the community. Developed by the City and operated by the Madison Public Market Foundation, the Market features produce from Wisconsin farms, diverse prepared food, local food products, and handcrafted arts/crafts. The building hosts a vibrant public art program that reflects diverse voices, histories, and cultures of Madison.


The tour will take bus rapid transit (BRT) through downtown and the Capitol East District, to the Market (passes provided). Hear from City Economic Development staff on the challenges of development, Public Market staff on getting the Market running, merchants on operating a Market business, and the City’s Arts Administrator on integrating art into the Market. Attendees can return via BRT before noon or stay at the Market for lunch (available for purchase at attendees’ expense) and return after.

Fri 10/9: TOUR-Bike, Bus, TDM: It's an Infrastructure Party!
$15

From 1:15 - 3:30 PM


A tour of Madison's bicycle and transit facilities, and a discussion of Travel Demand Management (TDM) strategies. Learn about levels of traffic stress, bicycle/transit conflicts and opportunities, and encouraging mode shift.


The route will include a pedestrian mall, one-way protected contraflow bike lane, cycletrack, parking-protected bike lane, separated path, quick-build buffered bi-directional bike lanes, mixed traffic, unpaved path, bike lanes, sharrows, and protected bike lanes, and will visit downtown neighborhoods, the UW-Madison campus, the Village of Shorewood Hills, and the Madison Yards development. Transit facilities visited will include floating bus stops and Bus Rapid Transit stations. Travel Demand Management (TDM) programs and policies of the City of Madison, the Greater Madison MPO, and UW-Madison will be discussed along the way at appropriate stops.


Madison BCycle e-bikes will be available, but participants are welcome to bring their own bike.

2-day Registration (APA Member Early Bird)
$275
Available until Sep 7
  • APA Member
  • Breakfast & Lunch Thursday
  • Breakfast Friday
2-day Registration (APA Member Full Price)
$325
  • APA Member
  • Breakfast & Lunch Thursday
  • Breakfast Friday
2-day Registration (Non-Member Early Bird)
$450
Available until Sep 7
2-day Registration (Non-Member Full Price)
$550
2-day Reg (Planning Commissioners/Students Early Bird)
$75
Available until Sep 7
  • Plan Commission Members, Students
  • Breakfast & Lunch Thursday
  • Breakfast Friday
2-day Reg (Planning Commissioners/Students Full Price)
$100
  • Plan Commission Members, Students
  • Breakfast & Lunch Thursday
  • Breakfast Friday
Thursday Only (APA Member Early Bird)
$175
Available until Sep 7
  • APA Member
  • Thursday breakfast & Lunch
Thursday Only (APA Member Full Price)
$210
  • APA Member
  • Thursday breakfast & Lunch
Thursday Only (Non-Member Early Bird)
$325
Available until Sep 7
  • Non-Member
  • Thursday breakfast & Lunch
Thursday Only (Non-Member Full Price)
$350
  • Non-Member
  • Thursday breakfast & Lunch
Thursday Only (Planning Commissioner/Students Early Bird)
$50
Available until Sep 7
  • Plan Commission Members, Students
  • Thursday breakfast & Lunch
Thursday Only (Planning Commissioners/Students Full Price)
$75
  • Plan Commission Members, Students
  • Thursday breakfast & Lunch
Friday Only (APA Member Early Bird)
$125
Available until Sep 7
  • APA Member
  • 1 breakfast
Friday Only (APA Member Full Price)
$160
  • APA Member
  • 1 breakfast
Friday Only (Non-Member Early Bird)
$275
Available until Sep 7
  • Non-Member
  • 1 breakfast

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