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Madison Ditches Rail, Considers BRT

Posted by: Michael Rodriguez

8 October 2009 - 7:00am

After Madison, Wisconsin withdrew its FTA application for funding of a commuter rail system, the city has been wondering where Transport 2020 is going next. The buzz now includes Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

Dane County, through a long range transportation plan known as "Transport 2020," was once hoping for a 16-mile commuter rail system. However, a lack of local funding led to the County withdrawing its application for an FTA New Starts grant in December of 2009.

Nonetheless, the Madison area now has gubernatorial authority to create a "Regional Transit Authority." This could bring talks of a commuter transit system back, but the high cost of commuter rail seems prohibitive for some. This is why BRT is being discussed again.

Recently, the National Bus Rapid Transit institute visited Madison on October 1st and hosted a workshop with local stakeholder and leaders to discuss the potential of BRT as a transit solution.

Full Story: Bus rapid transit' a commuter rail alternative
Source: The Cap Times, October 6, 2009
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But why not just require basic accessibility, such as no-step entrances and wider doorways? It seems off the mark to argue that it's inappropriate to place this kind of requirement on homebuilders.
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