Is Madison making the right choices on transit?

Friday, July 03, 2009

From a commentary by Tim Wong published in The Isthmus:

The city of Madison currently faces three separate but related decisions on transportation, each with long-ranging consequences.

These issues are: 1) the need for a downtown multi-modal transit facility; 2) the location of the high-speed rail terminal; and 3) the composition and goals of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA).

At its July 7 meeting, the Madison city council will vote on a proposal to demolish the Badger Bus depot on the corner of West Washington and South Bedford and replace it with mixed-use retail and luxury apartments. The proposal has cleared all its committee hurdles, including the Plan Commission, and now comes to the council for a final vote.

There may be little the city can do to stop this redevelopment, but city leaders seem oddly unconcerned about losing this last remaining intercity bus terminal.