On Monday, March 11, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that $118.1 million for the Madison area’s second bus rapid transit line, Metro Rapid Route B, has been included in President Biden’s 2025 Proposed Budget.
About 78 percent of the project would be federally funded, with the remainder coming from local communities benefiting from the route.
“The City of Fitchburg is pleased to learn of the significant grant funding from the federal government to implement the north-south bus rapid transit route and excited to partner with the City of Madison on this project. This BRT service is great for Fitchburg, its future development in the Fish Hatchery Road corridor, and will allow our residents to more efficiently connect with employment and commercial centers in Fitchburg and Madison, the UW Madison campus and downtown Madison.” Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta said in a statement.
The project was one of four bus rapid transit projects recommended for funding through this year’s Small Starts Program alongside projects in Indiana, North Carolina, and Texas. This recommendation directs how to spend the FTA's Capital Investment Grant (CIG) dollars for the 2025 fiscal year. The CIG program has been consistently funded for decades and enjoys strong bipartisan support.
Rapid Route B is currently in the development and planning stage and would run generally from Madison’s Northside neighborhood through the downtown area, to South Madison, ending in Fitchburg—generally following Metro’s existing Route B, one of the area’s most heavily traveled routes. Metro Rapid Route B is planned to launch in 2028.
The project would provide frequent, faster, and more reliable transit service to an additional 53,000 people, 40,000 jobs and other important destinations such as hospitals, grocery stores, childcare centers, K-12 schools, higher education and job training centers, and more.
Features will match Metro Rapid Route A including service every 15 minutes or less, high-quality stations with raised platforms, priority traffic signals, dedicated lanes with fewer stops, and faster fare payment.
Metro Route A is currently under construction along Mineral Point Road, Whitney Way, University Avenue, and East Washington Avenue, and will launch this fall.
The new eco-friendly transit system will support Madison and Fitchburg’s growing populations, while also significantly improving service for thousands of residents and businesses who depend on transit.
The next round of public meetings for Metro Rapid Route B are planned for April, where residents can learn more and share feedback about the proposed route, station locations, and more. For additional details, visit www.madisonbrt.com.