Madison Alder holds community meeting on upcoming Madison Metro Transit Redesign

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Madison Metro Transit Network Redesign launches a week from Sunday, and city officials are working to inform the community how these changes may impact their daily commute.

Madison District 18 Alder Charles Myadze organized a public information meeting on Madison’s north side Friday. Myadze brought in Madison Metro officials to educate people on the new bus routes and respond to their questions.

“I want to make sure that it’s going to be equitable and inclusive for everybody,” Myadze said. “Times are changing, also the routes are changing. So, to actually have people come out and actually give feedback, it’s huge because it’s about meeting people where they’re at.”

While the new routes are set to reduce travel times, concerns remain on how these changes could create new problems. Some North side community members will have to walk farther to reach their bus stops.

“It’s a give and take,” Myadze said. “We’re actually coming up with a faster system, but there is the flip side of it that people will have to walk a little bit farther.”

With the Metro Transit Redesign set to change route names from numbers to letters, Dane County NAACP President Greg Jones said City of Madison officials need to ensure people understand how the new transit system works.

“Going from one system to another one from a numerical system to a lettering system is going to be a fundamental shift and change for people to understand and comprehend,” Jones said.

Jones also said Metro bus drivers will be a vital part during the transition to Madison Metro’s revamped public transportation.

“We have to make sure that those bus drivers are culturally competent, understand the changes, the impact on... the riders,” Jones said. “They have to be prepared to be as flexible as possible.”

Alder Myadze remains optimistic the coming changes will ultimately benefit his residents.

“Our transit systems should not take an hour just to get downtown from the Northside, so I’m glad that we actually started on this initiative with the Metro Redesign,” Myadze said.

Madison Metro Transit will bet taking feedback on the new routes until December and will reassess from there.

The Madison Metro Transit Redesign is slated to begin June 11.

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