Madison’s long-awaited Bus Rapid Transit service is scheduled to start on Sunday, Sept. 22, the City of Madison announced today.
The launch of bus rapid transit is a culmination of Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s MetroForward initiative funded by the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law which was kicked off in 2019 to address the transportation needs of our growing city.
“I want to thank the Biden-Harris administration for recognizing that Madison needed a historic investment in our transportation infrastructure. We received nearly $140 million in federal funds to make this possible,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway in a press release. “The launch of the East-West BRT route is a monumental step forward for our community, and our transit system. I’m proud to say we are well on our way to integrating a North-South BRT line as well. September 22 will be a big day for Madison and it’s just the beginning.”
The new Rapid Route A will run on the East-West Rapid Corridor with service running approximately every 15 minutes throughout most of the day, according to a press release from the city of Madison, and Routes B and F will also operate using the buses, stations, and lanes of BRT but will branch off to serve local stops. Metro’s Rapid Route A, and local Routes B and F will be served by 60-foot, articulated all-electric buses with dual-side boarding options.
Metro General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg says all of the recent changes at Metro Transit are aimed at alleviating passenger overcrowding, speeding up travel times, and simplifying the system.
“Our team has worked tirelessly for years to bring this transformative BRT project to completion, and I’m thrilled to announce the opening date,” said Stuehrenberg. “I’m confident it will bring significant mobility and economic benefits to the Madison region, while also serving as a national model to be emulated by others.”
