MADISON (WKOW) — Madison’s mayor is planning a big investment in the city’s transit system.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway unveiled a rapid transit plan called MetroForward on Wednesday. She says the plan will build a more robust transportation system that will reduce congestion and drive times as more people move to Madison or take jobs in Madison.
Rhodes-Conway says the plan will have four specific focus areas:
- Expand Accessibility and Service — a number of efforts, including additional subsidized passes for riders and families in need.
- Modernize Metro Facilities to Serve our Growing Region — a planned $40 million renovation of Metro Transit’s main facility on East Washington Avenue in Madison and the addition of a satellite facility
- Focus on Sustainability — piloting the use of all-electric buses by 2020, with full conversion beginning in 2023
- Implement Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) — commitment to the transit system that would reduce travel times for riders by up to 25 percent
“MetroForward is a critical investment in our transportation, our economy and most importantly, in our community,” Rhodes-Conway says.
The mayor’s office says capital costs for the plan will be about $200 million. About half of that will be covered by federal grants.
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