Dane County Issues
November 2010 (pdf)

1. Work with the union to equalize commuting benefits for all employees. Currently, there is a charge of $15/mth to park in the county’s downtown parking lot, while the county provides many surface parking spaces free of charge, and also provides unlimited-ride bus passes to any employee who asks for one. The next logical step is to tie different commuter benefits into one Transportation Demand Management plan that includes a “cash out” option. Such a plan provides equally-valued commuter benefits to all employees, whether that be for parking, van/car pooling, riding transit, bicycling or walking.
2. Define public works and transportation to include transit, walking and bicycling. Currently, the county has a department of “public works, highway, and transportation” that does not deal with non-motorized transportation. Likewise, the county’s “public works and transportation” committee only deals with motor vehicle-related transportation although many county residents walk, bike and/or live within areas served by public transit. Many urban counties, with state and federal assistance, now operate Transportation Management Centers (TMCs), and county transportation costs should include helping to pay for bus transit.
3. Provide better travel directions on County web sites by including information on transit, bicycles and walking, not just driving and parking.
4. Consider citizen access to public buildings by all-day transit when choosing building location.