Middleton Eyes Bus Service Expansion

Limited Routes Called 'embarrassing'

The Capital Times

Thurs. Dec. 8, 2005
by Ann Marie Ames
The writer retains the copyright for this article

MIDDLETON

Recognizing that the city is outgrowing its bus service, the Middleton City Council on Wednesday approved $40,000 to improve and expand Madison Metro transit services in the city.

The funds were in addition to the service's normal operating budget to expand what one alderman called sorely lacking service.

"It's embarrassing," said Ald. Jim Wexler, who, like many of his constituents in Middleton's 4th District, lives in multi-unit housing. "It's embarrassing that in a city this size we do not provide such a basic service to our residents."

Middleton residents are currently served by three bus routes -- Routes 60 and 61, which enter Middleton via University Avenue, and Route 62, which enters Middleton via Old Sauk Road.

There are two obvious ways that Middleton's current bus service is lacking, said Assistant City Planning Director Mark Opitz. The first is a lack of direct routes from the east to the west side of the city.

"It's a challenge for residents of Middleton living east of the Beltline to get to a job west of the Beltline," said Opitz. "We'd like to develop service that is more efficient and more flexible."

One possible fix for the east-to-west issue would be to create a new transfer point within city limits. Discussions with Madison Metro on this topic have begun, but are very preliminary.

"We want to be able to give people more choices," said Opitz. "They may need to transfer, but they will be able to get to a current destination more quickly or even a new destination."

The second void Opitz and others see in Middleton's service is the complete lack of service to the northwest quadrant of the city. Businesses to the west of the new Parmenter Street (the old U.S. 12), such as those on Laura Lane, Deming Way north of U.S. 14 or in the Airport Road business corridor, have no service.

Wexler sees initiating weekend service as a priority in the expansion process.

"This is fundamental in that we have students and workers who really would use the service," said Wexler.

Wexler's opinion was buoyed by a petition sent to the City Council signed by 176 people who use Metro Transit in Middleton -- 135 of them living in Middleton, some on Madison's northwest side, and one in Waunakee. The petition was circulated in late November and asked for the city to expand services to Saturday and Sunday.

"It is so important for those who use the service to stand up and tell the city, Don't ignore us,'" said Wexler, who remembers times when he himself had to walk 40 minutes in bitter cold to catch a bus in the city of Middleton.

Wexler says the timing is right to expand bus service as the city continues to focus on increasing the amount of workforce housing within the city limits.

"Bus service is such an integral part of expanding workforce housing," said Wexler. "It is meaningless to have it if you can't have transportation to match."

Opitz said he expects that the city will begin to look for public input on the service over the next several months. He encouraged residents to watch for signs inside buses as well as on the city's website (www.ci.middleton.wi.us) for tips on how best to weigh in.


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