The City of Madison has been looking at investing in multiple new infrastructure projects, including receiving an anticipated $118 million in federal funds toward Madison’s North-South Bus Rapid Transit route, according to Isthmus.
The East-West BRT, also known as bus Route A, was implemented in September 2024. The city wants to begin constructing the North-South BRT system, or Route B, in 2027 and finish in 2028, according to City of Madison Transportation Director Thomas Lynch.
“The North-South Bus Rapid Transit project would allow us to add more bus lanes [and] provide the nicer stations that are in the median,” Lynch said.
If the North-South BRT project funding does get approved, it would provide easier access to downtown for people who live on the north and south sides of Madison, according to Lynch.
It is unclear how the city will fund the North-South route, according to Lynch. The current resolution brought before the U.S. Congress includes money for the route in the Capital Infrastructure Grant program, a grant program for new developing projects, Lynch said.
The transportation committee is hopeful that it will receive funds for the BRT project from this grant program, Lynch said.
It took three presidential administrations for the East-West BRT project to be approved for construction — with the project first being recommended in 2013, Lynch said.
The City of Madison transportation committee is committed to providing quality transit to Madison’s north and south sides and will continue to adjust its approach in allocating federal funds, according to Lynch.
The Trump administration is trying to cut many investments that are sustainability-related in the U.S., which includes funding for the BRT project, according to City of Madison District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan.
“The BRT funding does fall under at least partially sustainability funding because it is obviously expanding transportation but also doing it in a sustainable manner,” MGR said. “All of the buses are electrical vehicles, all the bus stations have solar panels on top and they’re fully renewable energy.”
Funds have not yet been cut but they are at high risk of being slashed by the federal government, according to MGR.
There are ways funds can potentially be allocated toward public transport that are not through federal funds, but it is unlikely the city can do any of them as the city’s budget cannot cover the needed estimate of $120 million for the North-South bus route, MGR said.
If these funds continue to be delayed, the amount of available housing in Madison may also see delays in coming years with expected spikes in population, MGR said.
The city committee created the Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District, which is part of the city zoning code and centered on quality public transit, according to MGR. In addition, the zoning code has recently been modified, allowing for more housing opportunities in Madison.
There will potentially be a decrease in how many housing projects happen on bus Route B as a result of the possible delay in receiving funds, but it is unlikely, according to MGR.
“We’re encouraging more development right by the BRT lines, so people in apartments and all those folks — they can easily access the best transportation the city has to offer and then easily get from one place to another,” MGR said. “[BRT] is very much focused on the main corridors of Madison, and we want to improve housing stock in that area, and that inputs for Bus B as well, the North-South BRT line.”
The City of Madison has a great transportation system and one of the best in the country for a city of Madison’s size, MGR said.
But, with a continuing delay in funds, modifications to the city’s bus system are going to be postponed, according to MGR.
“I really want to emphasize the BRT project is probably one of the biggest infrastructure upgrades that the city has ever seen,” MGR said. “If we don’t get the funding this time around, worst case scenario, we will likely get it the next time and I just want to reassure people at best.”
