New bus routes connecting Sun Prairie to Madison launch Sunday

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. (WMTV) - In the mayor’s words, what’s coming to Sun Prairie is both “revolutionary and evolutionary.”

“This bus service will have the effect of making the county smaller. It will be easier to get around,” Mayor Paul Esser said.

With changes beginning Sunday, new bus routes will further connect Sun Prairie with Madison. While some business owners on Sun Prairie’s Main St. are already talking about the potential of increased foot traffic, others said they did not know about the incoming bus stops.

As Sun Prairie officials plan to install bus stop signs this week, community leaders like Melody Riedel say there needs to be more opportunities for education among would-be bus riders, including older adults.

“Change is difficult for older adults in the community, and this is a big change because they’re used to having somebody coming right to their door to pick them up to take them to their medical appointment or to the grocery store,” she said.

At the same time, Riedel says buses have the potential to serve many older adults, who often don’t drive but still need to travel.

“That’s a lot of their world-- is to get to their doctor’s appointments and dentists and eye doctors and all of those things mostly in Madison,” she said.

Route A, one of three new bus routes affecting Sun Prairie, can shuttle commuters from the Sun Prairie Park and Ride to the area surrounding UW Health and Veterans Affairs hospitals.

Passengers with disabilities who cannot take the Metro’s fixed routes can take the paratransit service.

A full description of the changes to Sun Prairie can be found here. Other details of the Metro transit redesign can be found here.

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