Cross Plains to review Metro plan



Christopher Michaels
Correspondent for The Capital Times

September 19, 2006

CROSS PLAINS - A study group here has taken the next step to bring Madison Metro bus service to the village, one of several outlying Dane County municipalities considering service for 2008.

Metro says the earliest that service could be established in Cross Plains - and elsewhere - would likely be January 2008, when state transit aid program money would be available to subsidize local operational costs.

Since last year, Metro has been shopping its service around, conducting ridership surveys and presenting service concepts to community study groups throughout the county. In some municipalities, including Cross Plains and Stoughton, planning has progressed to the board and council level.

At its most recent meeting Monday, the Cross Plains group asked Metro to prepare a package detailing two proposed route options, project costs and a timeline, to be presented to the Village Board for review at a date yet to be determined.

"We've probably studied this as much as possible - at this point we need to say (to the board) 'Here it is,' said Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Jan Klock.

Interest in Metro service to Cross Plains comes at the same time Metro is greatly expanding its service to the city of Middleton. Metro introduced four new routes and transfer opportunities within Middleton in August.

All these communities are on about the same track in considering service, said Metro planning manager Sharon Persich. "Now it's in their hands to decide: Do they want to do this?"

Representatives of Cross Plains and Metro have expressed optimism over survey results indicating interest in the service among residents, and interest from Black Earth residents in a park-and-ride location in Cross Plains.

"I want to see where the board stands, but I would like a 'yes' vote, certainly," said group chairman Randy Case.

Surveys were first distributed in April, and Metro personnel used the results to create four route options. The study group winnowed those down to two.

The first option would be to cycle a bus three times between Cross Plains and Middleton during morning and afternoon peak travel periods. The bus would circulate through west Middleton office, shopping and business areas. Possible stops would include the Middleton Business Park, Greenway Station and Middleton High School.

The second option would be to provide direct service between Cross Plains and the Capitol Square, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon, with an opportunity to transfer in Middleton.

Both options would use only one bus and include a 10-minute loop through Cross Plains with several stops.

Metro estimates the service would cost the village just over $57,000 annually, a figure arrived at after subtracting fare revenue potential and the 60 percent subsidy the village can receive through the state transit aid program. That figure could shrink, however, if Metro assesses an additional $1-per-ride surcharge on Cross Plains trips, as suggested by Case.


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