WI-2023-061

Application Purpose: The project is a planned 15-mile dedicated bus rapid transit (BRT) line that will connect the east and west sides of Madison running through the isthmus downtown and the UW-Madison campus connecting people across the region to job centers housing options other transit lines and key destinations in the corridor including the Village of Shorewood Hills and the City of Sun Prairie.

Activities Performed: The project is a 15-mile fixed guideway bus rapid transit (BRT) line running from a proposed park-and-ride and transit facility near the West Towne Mall in West Madison through the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) campus downtown Madison and to the East Towne Mall area. Service will continue further east in an alternating pattern to an existing park-and-ride facility in the City of Sun Prairie and to the Hanson Road satellite bus facility in Madison. The project includes 31 stations 21 of which are proposed to be median platforms.

The project includes 9.5 miles of exclusive bus-only transit lanes 46 60-foot articulated battery electric buses with auxiliary diesel heaters a new 87-space Junction Road park-and-ride facility four on-route electric bus chargers 10 depot electric bus chargers and bus operator comfort facilities at Junction Station and Sun Prairie park-and-ride facility. Fare collection will be upgraded to a modern faster and more flexible system through a separate system-wide project. The city intends to provide each BRT station with distinctly branded shelters trash receptacles station lighting real-time/next bus information system snowmelt system and solar panels.

Corridor infrastructure improvements are planned between Junction Station and East Springs Station and include a transit signal priority system at 83 intersections and red pavement markings to indicate transit-only lanes. To accommodate occasional detours in summer months for events the project includes signage improvements at an auxiliary Capitol Loop Station (two platforms).

Expected Outcomes: The project will improve mobility for the eastern part of the Madison metropolitan area region by providing all-day bidirectional service and by better connecting the area to the expanding regional metro network. Additionally the investment will support the planned growth and development opportunities around the stations creating new economic opportunities and strengthening existing neighborhoods.

Intended Beneficiaries: The communities along the project corridor currently lack frequent all-day bidirectional transit service. The project will connect the east metro including the Village of Shorewood Hills and the City of Sun Prairie to the regional metro network resulting in enhanced transit service that will improve the ability of project-area residents to access employment and other destinations in the greater Madison metropolitan area.

Subrecipient Activities: None

City Of Madison

20.500 - Federal Transit Capital Investment Grants

FTA Region 5 [DOT - FTA]

FTA Office of Budget and Policy [DOT - FTA]

Wisconsin United States

State-Wide

None