What can you do about the proposed Metro bus cuts?

A Northside Action Alert

By Julie Spears, NPC Community Organizer

The City of Madison’s Transit and Parking Commission will hold a Public Hearing to take comments on the proposed changes.

Public Hearing
Tues., April 15
6:00 pm in Rm GR-27
City-County Building
210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Proposed Metro Northside bus route changes:
Route 17 (direct service between the North and East Transfer Points) would be eliminated after 6 pm on weekdays, replaced by hourly service on Route 20 via Shopko/Copps and East Towne Mall on Route 30.

Route 20 would replace Route 24 service to the airport. This will increase service frequency to the airport middays to every 30 minutes and operate the same hourly service on weekends and holidays as on weekdays after 6 pm resulting in hourly service to Shopko/Copps. Route 20 will also operate via Anderson St. to MATC and to and from East Towne but will no longer serve the East Springs loop or serve the Wright/Kinsman/Bartillon loop (still served by Route 6).

Routes 21 and 22 would be reduced from 30 to 60 minute service after 6:30 pm. Midday service frequency would increase from hourly to every 30 minutes to offset the elimination of Route 24.

Route 24 service to the airport would be eliminated. Added frequency on Route 21 will replace portions of Route 24 during middays, but evening service will be reduced to hourly. This would increase midday trips and add new weekend/holiday trips, while shortening travel times between the North Transfer Point and airport. However, segments of Route 24 along Packers Avenue north of Tennyson, along Wheeler Rd. and between North Sherman Avenue and Delaware will no longer have off-peak bus service.

Complete background information including: a general description and justification of proposed service changes; a description of the perceived benefits and reductions of the proposal; draft maps and schedules; and paratransit service impacts is now available at www.cityofmadison.com/ metro/PublicHearing/AprilPublicHearing08.html or by calling the Metro customer service center at 266-4466.

Residents who cannot attend the Apr. 15 Public Hearing but wish to submit comments can call Metro at 266-6545 or e-mail Sharon Persich at spersich@cityofmadison.com as well as your alders at district12@cityofmadison.com and district18@cityofmadison.com.