This week, Madison Metro proposed a number of route changes aimed at decreasing congestion and increasing on-time performance for bus arrivals and departures across the city. Overall, the changes will add a net 33 hours to daily bus service across the city.
Despite the cold reception many Madison residents have given the proposal and concerns regarding the costs of this expansion, the proposed changes to bus Routes 80 and 9 on the UW-Madison campus represent a step in the right direction toward greater access for students.
Under proposed route changes laid out at a Transit and Parking Commission hearing this Tuesday, Madison Metro will redirect Route 80 to reduce congestion and the number of stops between the UW Hospital and Memorial Union. This should both speed up commute time and decrease the daily congestion at the Memorial Union stop. The plan also calls for Route 10 to replace Route 9, which will lead to expanded service on campus and in the Bassett neighborhood area.
Despite the promise of improved bus services, we are concerned that the need for expanded services is not proportional to the added cost. With gas prices skyrocketing and state and federal funding for bus services decreasing in inflation-adjusted dollars, any expansion of bus services will inevitably cost Madison residents extra. The city can address these fiscal concerns by continuing to encourage increases in ridership and the placement of advertisements on the exteriors of all buses.
Students arguably rely on bus services as much or more than any other constituency in Madison. Although the proposed changes are not perfect, it is nice to see the city make efforts to expand bus services to routes both on and off campus.
