Following a public input session last week, the University of Wisconsin withdrew its proposal Monday for changes to major campus bus routes that would have diminished services to Lakeshore housing.
Madison Metro General Manager Chuck Kamp said the company received notice from UW Transit Services that the changes brought forth to alter routes 81 and 82 would not be made this year.
The original proposals would have moved route 81 away from Lakeshore housing, making route 80 the only evening option for students. The proposals also called for route 82 to extend its service eastward only to Memorial Union.
“The public input session on campus last week made it very clear from the commentators that this was not something that was viewed as moving in the right direction – that’s the reason we have public hearing and input sessions,” Kamp said. “We will go back to the drawing boards and see if there are other alterations that will serve the campus better.”
Kamp said Metro is comfortable with the recall because the entire proposal was born out of a joint effort between the company and UW. He said he hopes UW students and faculty will continue to voice their concerns as the process continues to propose adjustments that would improve campus service.
Although a formal timeline has not been established as to when the next round of drawings will come out, Kamp said Metro and UW are hopeful there can be changes in 2012.
“We don’t have anything new yet, but we heard loud and clear that taking away service from Lakeshore was not the way to go,” he said. “We periodically review our routes in cooperation with UW Transit Services and UW ASM to look for ways that the 80 routes can be adjusted to better service the campus.”
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said he was happy to see the immediate cooperation between UW, Metro and the Madison community and was impressed with the quick turnaround jolted by the input session.
“I think it’s fantastic that both Metro and UW heard the student input – it was very vocal from UW Housing, the UW Police Department and students that said we need to protect the services that lead to the Lakeshore dorms,” he said. “I think it’s a great victory for students.”
