With downtown Madison becoming more and more congested and commutes from the east to west sides of Madison getting longer, the city of Madison is again looking for a solution. It is considering adding bus rapid transit (BRT) on a route from East Towne Mall to the west transfer point at Tokay Blvd. and Whitney Way.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the 60-foot-long buses with limited stops could help move people in a more efficient manner and relieve pressure on Madison Metro bus service. The initial route would come with a $40 million to $60 million cost, and a full build out, adding routes heading north and south and covering about 25 miles, would cost about $155 million.
If the city moves forward, it would first have to secure funding to build a $39 million 165,000-square-foot bus garage on Nakoosa Trail and Commercial Avenue. Federal funding could cover 80% of that cost. The initial corridor could be completed in three to five years, according to Madison Metro, which estimates that operations of the initial route could cost between $2.4 million and $3.2 million annually. That would jump to about $9.8 million annually for the full, 25-mile BRT system, which could take about 10 years to complete.
