Madison’s commuters could see smoother and quicker bus rides in the near future, as the city looks for federal support and funding for a new Bus Rapid Transit system. 

Mick Rusch, public information officer for Madison Metro, said the BRT system would provide faster, more direct service for more people.

“We hear two big complaints,” Rusch said. “The first is that the buses are overcrowded, and the second is that travel times are too long. This system would help both expand and help the public get across town faster.”

The bus rapid transit system is made out of more physically modern buses, more like real cars, Mayor Paul Soglin said. The BRT gives its passengers a smoother ride and will not necessarily stop at every block.

However, he said, this efficient, modernized bus system comes with a price tag.

“We’re talking tens of millions of dollars,” Soglin said.

In most cases, Rusch said, these 60-foot buses will increase passenger capacity by 75 percent to 300 percent. The routes themselves will also be straighter, allowing riders to get from point A to point B with limited stops. Technology allowing the buses to signal for priority at stoplights will also help the buses get through areas like downtown quicker.

Rusch said the study alone will cost $2 million, and the estimated cost of the whole implementation is somewhere between $138 million and $192 million.

Soglin said the new system would require all new routes, which would parallel the heaviest existing bus routes. The buses would also sometimes use exclusive lanes, reducing traffic, he said.

Other features of the BRT would include buses that bend in the middle and are twice the length of existing buses, tickets purchased at the line rail and storage room for both bikes and luggage, Soglin said.

Madison has one of the highest ridership per capita for just the sole bus system in the country, he said. However, Rusch said a high ridership, though demanding on resources, is not entirely a negative for the company.

“Our problem, which is a good problem to have, is that our metro system is pretty much at capacity,” Rusch said.

The BRT would also reduce dependency on private automobiles and the issues that come along with them, such as road construction and the costs associated with owning such vehicles, Soglin said.

In order to implement the bus system, a two-year study will be performed that will design routes, decide where the buses will stop, how to set up the timed traffic lights and figure out approximately how many riders the BRT can expect, Soglin said.

Even if the study proves successful, he said, the project’s funding will need to be backed by the federal government. Soglin said if the city gets both a responsible Congress and funding, the plan could be ready to go within five years.

“We cannot build the system without continued federal support for public transportation,” Soglin said.