Final vote on radical bus route* changes
UPDATE WITH RESULTS
SUCCESSFUL AMENDMENTS
Key amendments to the draft map successfully passes the Fitchburg City Council on May 24, 2022. Those amendments include:
Allied/Dunn’s Marsh/Belmar Neighborhood
⬤ Amendment D-2 moves D line off Allied Drive and into the neighborhood
Southdale Neighborhood
⬤ Amendment G-3 (NEW) brings G line into Southdale neighborhood and keeps the longer route permanently
Terravessa and neighborhoods east of Fish Hatchery along Z line
⬤ Amendment Z-1 brings Z route into Terravessa Neighborhood
⬤ Amendment Z-2 adds access to UW campus on the Z route
WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING DISCUSSION
Watch the public testimony at the council meeting.
Watch the council discussion and votes at the council meeting.
FINAL RESULT
Following the council meeting, community members along with myself and Alder Allen spoke at the public hearing at the Madison Area Transportation Policy and Planning Board on May 31, advocating for all of the amendments passed by the Fitchburg City Council. The following week, the Board passed the amendments. And the following night, the Madison Common Council passed the metro network redesign with all the amendments supported by Fitchburg.
It’s also important to note that at the May 31 public hearing, many people including myself advocated for a delay of the plan to allow more time for community engagement and outreach. The Board took a vote to delay the adoption of the plan but it failed, so the new network will move forward.
NEXT STEPS
The next step is community outreach to make sure that residents understand the changes and are given resources to adjust to the changes. This will be a difficult adjustment, that will negatively affect many in Fitchburg. The network will likely go into effect in mid to late summer 2023.
ORIGINAL POST
*after Madison Metro Network Redesign
Bus service is changing due to the Madison Metro Network Redesign process. The entire regional bus system is changing significantly; changes include increased walk times to bus stops to allow for more frequent bus service and the elimination of transfer points. The network will be finalized by the end of May, but the changes won’t go into effect until summer 2023 at the earliest. To find out about the process to date, please read my last blog post on the issue.
VOTE ON CHANGES TO FITCHBURG BUS ROUTES TUESDAY, MAY 24
On THIS Tuesday, May 24 the Fitchburg City Council will vote on changes to bus routes (but only changes within Fitchburg and Southdale Neighborhood in the Town of Madison, which will be annexed by Fitchburg in October). The resolution to be considered is called R-101-22 Approving the 2022 City Transit Plan and Network Redesign Plan. Read R-101-22 here.
WHY DOES THIS VOTE MATTER?
The proposed changes to the bus routes will have significant negative effects on certain neighborhoods, but the council has an opportunity to invest in changes to improve service. I will discuss the Southdale Amendments and the Allied/Dunn’s Marsh/Belmar Amendment in more detail below.
I personally believe (based on what is presented in the resolution) the G-2 Amendment in Southdale needs to be added to the plan, in place of G-1. Everything else should remain the same.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CHANGES?
See list of amendments below, organized by neighborhood.
⬤ Green dot means the change is recommended by staff and is included in Resolution R-101-22. Nothing is required for it to be included but an amendment on the floor could remove it.
⬤ Red dot means the change is NOT recommended by staff. To be added, an amendment must be proposed on the floor on Tuesday.
Allied/Dunn’s Marsh/Belmar Neighborhood
⬤ Amendment D-2 moves D line off Allied Drive and into the neighborhood
Southdale Neighborhood
⬤ Amendment G-1 brings G line one block closer to Southdale
⬤ Amendment G-2 brings G line into Southdale neighborhood
⬤ Amendment Z-3 adds Z line service to Southdale
Terravessa and neighborhoods east of Fish Hatchery along Z line
⬤ Amendment Z-1 brings Z route into Terravessa Neighborhood
⬤ Amendment Z-2 adds access to UW campus on the Z route
North Fish Hatchery Road
⬤ Amendment B-1 brings Fish Hatchery Road service down to the Civic Campus (City Hall, Library, Senior Center)
ALLIED/DUNN’S MARSH/BELMAR NEIGHBORHOOD AMENDMENT
CURRENT ROUTE VS. ORIGINAL PROPOSED ROUTE
Currently, bus route 18 (see white route on image) loops through the neighborhood down Red Arrow to Crescent to Allied.
The original proposed route removes the route through the neighborhood and instead coventrates Route D2 on Allied Drive which will come more frequently (every 30 min). Neighbors expressed concern about the complete removal of the route from the neighborhood, and an amendment was proposed by metro.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
On Tuesday, 1 amendment will be considered.
⬤ Amendment D-2 moves D line off Allied Drive and into the neighborhood
This amendment would shift D2 from Allied Drive to Red Arrow, Jenewein and back to Allied Drive. Read R-101-22. It is significantly less coverage than before, but it takes the route into the City of Fitchburg. This route is recommended by staff, which means nothing is required for it to be included but an amendment on the floor could remove it. It is likely that it will pass on Tuesday, but residents should register their support or opposition to the council. They may also express if this amendment is not sufficient to support the neighborhood.
See last section “How to Submit Feedback” below
*only includes Metro section of resolution
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL VS. PROPOSED VS. AMENDMENT
Here is an image that combines everything together. White is the current route, Blue the proposed D route, and green represents the change with Amendment D-2.
SOUTHDALE NEIGHBORHOOD AMENDMENTS
CURRENT ROUTE vs. ORIGINAL PROPOSED ROUTE
Southdale will become part of Fitchburg in October with the Town of Madison annexation, so Fitchburg council has control over Southdale’s bus routes. The current proposal completely removes bus service and concentrates it far from the neighborhood on Rimrock Road. Council will consider 3 amendments to move bus service closer to the city. G-1 is currently recommended and included as part of the resolution. G-2 is an alternate option presented by metro staff after residents expressed that the G-1 amendment is insufficient at a public meeting.
Current bus route 16 is highlighted in red. This will be replaced by route G in blue and route Z in orange. Click the image to see the full Fitchburg Map. The entire network can be seen here.
Red is current service. Blue and Orange are the original proposal.
POSSIBLE AMMENDMENTS
On Tuesday, 3 amendments will be considered.
⬤ Amendment G-1 brings G line one block closer to Southdale
⬤ Amendment G-2 brings G line into Southdale neighborhood
⬤ Amendment Z-3 adds Z line service to Southdale
Amendment G-2 was created by metro staff in response to feedback from the residents in Southdale after a community meeting on May 11. Watch meeting here. Residents have expressed that G-2 is not a perfect solution, but it is an improvement on the G-1 amendment. G-2 is is not recommended because of cost.
*only includes Metro section of resolution
AMENDMENT G-1 vs. G-2
On Wednesday May 11, Southdale residents expressed the devastating impact removing the bus route 16 would have on them. Bus service is essential for many residents, who use it as their primary means of transportation. That means how they get to work, school and the grocery store (none exists in the area).
The negative impact of the current proposal prompted Madison Metro to propose an alternate bus amendment G-2 which would put service back into the neighborhood. The one caveat is that service will be adjusted as soon as a small section of road is built (a section that was never built even though it has been talked about for about a decade). In the image, you can see the difference between the short term and long term options.
G-1 IS NOT A GOOD OPTION FOR RESIDENTS
Some may assume G-1 is not that much different than G-2, but the area where the G-1 option loops is in vacant fields slated for future development. This area is empty, exposed to the elements, and feels very remote when you’re waiting around there. In addition, the sidewalks may be dangerous during the winter as they are unlikely to be shoveled and salted since no businesses currently exist there.
In the image, the blue box marks the missing section of road and red star marks the location of the bus stop with G-1 amendment.
COST DIFFERENCE IS THE ISSUE
G-1 is the less expensive option, with a $24,000 annualized net cost to Fitchburg.
G-2 will have a $93,000 annualized net cost, but that cost will drop as soon as the missing section of road is built, which will likely be mid-2024. Keep in mind, the network will not going into effect until summer 2023, so the cost in 2023 would be between $39,000 and $47,000. And since the road will be built in 2024, we would also see less than $93,000 cost.
The City of Fitchburg has said for years that we must be prepared for unexpected costs as a result of the Town of Madison annexation. This is an unexpected cost, but an absolute necessity for our new neighbors.
ALDER GERHARDT’S OPTION: WE MUST INVEST IN THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHDALE
We will be welcoming Southdale residents into the City of Fitchburg in October. It would be a devastating blow to welcome them by functionally eliminating bus service for the vast majority of its residents. If the Fitchburg City Council refuses to pass G-2 or a better alternative, we will be forcing many residents to move out of the neighborhood at a time when affordable housing is in short supply. We did not create this issue, but we are responsible for it’s impacts. We must invest in the people of Southdale, our new neighbors.
HOW TO SUBMIT FEEDBACK ON R-101-22
BEST OPTION: Attend the May 24 council meeting at 7:30 pm and give a 3 minute testimony. Come to city hall (5520 Lacy Road), go down the hall to council chambers, fill out the testimony form, and wait for your turn to speak for 3 minutes.
Can’t attend in person? You can attend on Zoom. Register to get a link to Zoom.
A Spanish interpreter will be available for anyone that prefers to speak in Spanish.
Register support or opposition to R-101-22. Be specific about which amendments you want passed. Sign with your name and Fitchburg address to Council&Mayor@fitchburgwi.gov. You may include a message to the council about why you support or oppose, but that statement won’t be read aloud at the meeting.
Contact your alders by phone or email. Find their contact information here. Lobbying your alders makes a difference! Phone calls in particular.
Please note: Town of Madison residents will be a part of District 3 starting in October.
HOW TO WATCH THE MEETING
Watch the YouTube video posted the day following the meeting