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April 16, 2008
Dozens of Madison residents who rely on Metro Transit buses to get to work, run errands and travel around the city complained about several proposed route changes at a hearing Tuesday. Although Metro's proposal would add a net 33 hours of service each day starting in August, most people were upset about areas of proposed reductions in frequency of service, shifting of routes and longer wait times at transfer points. Metro general manager Chuck Kamp said the changes are designed to alleviate capacity and scheduling issues plaguing some routes. "We looked at changes that were motivated because, quite frankly, some of our buses could not stay on schedule," Kamp said. Some of the most criticized changes include routes 13, 17, 22, 56, and 57, and Metro officials said they have also heard complaints about 18 and 38. Sharon Williams, a long-time North Side resident and bus driver for nine years, said the "human factor" needs to be considered in the changes. "Sometimes I feel the computer program (Metro) uses outweighs driver opinion," she said. "It always sounds good on paper, but as soon as we start to drive it, it doesn't work." Benito Olivas, who lives on the North Side and said buses are the only way he can get to work, said the changes, especially decreasing service on Route 22 from every half-hour to hourly after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, will decrease ridership. Olivas also said he's worried the North Side is being targeted. "A lot of these changes are in low-income areas," he said. The area is often "the forgotten area of Madison," said Helen Marks Dicks, of the North Side Planning Council. "This might come as a shock to you, but there is a night life on the North Side," she said. People come to the neighborhood for jobs at night, the neighborhood has worked hard to build up Warner Park and the library now stays open until 8 p.m., she said. Census data has shown there are 10 percent more homes without cars on the North Side compared to the rest of the city, she said. "We are the most dependent on public transportation," she said. "I'd love to be here arguing for better service, but I'm a realist. I'm asking not to make it worse." Several speakers, including Ron Cook, said they are disappointed in the changes because they chose where to live based on bus routes that will now be reduced or eliminated. Cook said the Route 13 change, which would operate as a one-way loop south of Olin Avenue and eliminate direct service between southern parts of the route, will hurt residents in the Romnes apartments as well as Goodman Pool. "You're eliminating service that's badly needed ... and doubling it in another place," he said. Taylar Foster said she didn't think the new routes are any less confusing, which Metro said is one of its goals. "I've been trying to figure out this system for five years, and I still haven't gotten it," she said. The price of the proposed changes and the source of funding haven't been determined, Metro officials said. Kamp said Metro started designing the changes with the prediction of a budget surplus in 2007, which did occur. But "what we didn't anticipate is ... the way diesel prices are escalating, which leaves us with less ability to tell how we will pay for these changes."\ \ TO COMMENT Source: http://host.madison.com/news/local/metro-riders-rip-proposed-changes-routes-with-less-service-spark/article_43b66130-ebd3-58ce-a7a7-08cdc47dd72f.html In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the included information for educational purposes. |