The Commission has a responsibility to give the proposal due consideration. Its overall charge is to design and seek to continuously improve bus transit for all in Monona, regardless of who the operator is, within the budget we have, making recommendations to the City Council.
In short, as with any other service the City contracts, the Commission wants to offer high quality service but also get “the biggest possible bang for our buck” and that means always trying to offer service that works better for more residents and businesses.
But it’s not just about economics. For those that want to take a deeper dive, a few other reports and datapoints may be helpful.
- Monona’s Sustainability Plan (2015), calls for improvements to alternative transportation networks in Monona and to support increased use of alternative transport within the community. These goals are based on a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Increased alternative transportation also reduces automobile traffic.
- Through a survey completed in 2021 and anecdotally for years, the Transit Commission has heard from some in the community that they need or would like more transit, or want Monona to contract with Madison Metro, finding what is offered to be too expensive or too limited.
- In the City’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Report, completed in 2022, there are two recommendations specific to expanding transit: 8) Make it a priority to secure public transit to serve affordable and senior housing developments, 9) Consider transit options that are alternatives to automobile ownership when reviewing housing development proposals.
- The Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC) 2050 Regional Development Framework highlights the importance of public transit and other alternatives to private vehicles as the Madison area is anticipated to grow by 200,000 more people by 2050.
To collect more input from the community, the Transit Commission held three Public Information Meetings in late 2022, has accepted comments online and on paper, and is conducting a comprehensive survey. The commission has also created these FAQ’s and has posted all relevant documents. No decisions have been made. After thorough and careful consideration, the Commission anticipates making a recommendation to the City Council for its consideration in late Spring.