Being on an isthmus, getting from one side to another can take a lot of time. In general, Madison isn't crowded so you can get anywhere within half an hour as long as you are not driving during rush hour. What you need to do, and this will probably be decided from where you live, is to pick either the East side or the West side, and run your errands there. If you don't, to cross over you need to take the beltline which is ridiculous because Madison is actually fairly small and driving on a highway just wastes gas. Both sides have similar amenities but it will save time not to go back and forth because of poor planning. Of course there are people who live on one side and work on another, or their kids have lessons on the other, and it's not a deal breaker. I just don't like being inefficient I guess.

There are many car dealers on the west side of Madison, over by the Mineral Point Road area and there are more budget and second hand places on the east side of Madison, towards the Warner Park/North side area. Honestly, I haven't bought a car here (I bought mine in my hometown) and don't know anyone who has because I'm in college and most people don't have cars or they already come to Madison with them. Craigslist is also an option if you know cars, as it is very active in general. I don't know much about vehicles and wouldn't buy anything that way but Madison has some wealth so maybe you could find someone selling a good car second hand on craigslist for whatever reason. There are also many suburbs around Madison, Mac Farland, Middleton, Fitchburg, Cottage Grove that would lend more options to those who already have transportation to go have a look at their offerings.

I remember driving here when I went to a local market and then went to a grocery store and was, looking at a map, would have been able to get to both on a bike. The one connecting road (Milwaukeen St) had construction being done and I ended up being detoured onto a highway and was glad I took my car! Normally you would think that you could just go around, but Milwaukee St actually goes through corn fields, which when I think of Madison I don't necessarily think rural. It's just one of the quirks. A little off topic but if you drive north you'll end up at this place that looks just like a castle and it's in the middle of Ireland looking pastures and green rolling hills. Basically just be ready for the unexpected here!

John nolen drive. First Madison is a beautiful city on an isthmus (land between two bodies of water), and when you drive on John Nolen you can see both the capital building and both lakes. At one part you actually drive over the part lf the road on John Nolen that divides Monona lake and Monona bay. Also this road connects to the highway on the north and south, and onto other main roads. It generally moves pretty fast except during rush hour. The trickiest area is a five intersection area where Williamson (Willy sty) connects with John Nolen because you will see pedestrians, bikers, cars, pedal pubs (so very Wisconsin I know!) That are crossing either on Willy St, which leads into environmentally conscious neighborhoods, hence the bikers and walkers, and you are just leaving the college zone, hence so many mobile bars. But it's next to a beautiful park that also has bikes you can rent by the hour and a place to rent boats, like canoes. Drive safely but as a passenger it's fun to observe the chaos and different cultures coming together,

Madison is a large city that is spread out more than most so the driving is a little bit more relaxed than driving in Chicago or Milwaukee. You still need to pay careful attention and the downtown area close to the capital and know exactly where you are going and where to turn long before you get to the intersection. Also, watch the cyclists and pedestrians! This city is very "green" and many utilize modes of travel other than cars.

On the East side of the city, close to East Towne Mall, there are several large reputable dealers. If you are going to live in Madison, consider whether you actually need a car or not. You may like to just ride a bicycle, walk or ride the bus. If you determine that you need a car, consider one that is smaller and offers the lowest carbon footprint you can find. Madison is a "Green Capital City" so you will want to be very respectful of what you are bringing to the community.

We were driving along the Beltline in heavy traffic. A car in front of us changed lanes and since there was not enough room between our car and the truck in front of us, we collided. It took some careful maneuvering to get over to a safe place to stop to exchange information. My husband called the police to have the collision on record for insurance purposes. The driver (mother) and passenger (daughter) of the other vehicle stated that they could not wait because they were late for an appointment for the daughter's wedding dress fitting. They just left. The policeman took our information and the details of the situation. Our insurance covered the minor damage. We never heard from the other two again. Their vehicle had more damage than ours!

Stoughton Road. There are many great locations along this route that spans the whole city. Businesses, restaurants and entertainment of all kinds are available along Stoughton Road. There are also nice neighborhoods and parks. I like Stoughton Road because almost anything a person would want to see or do can be found there.