Governor Doyle included in his budget legislative language allowing the Madison Area Metropolitan Planning Area to form a Regional Transit Authority that would guide economic development and regional transit decisions. This is the first step in a long process for providing regional, coordinated transportation options to people in Dane County. Part of what makes this proposal controversial is that the formation of the RTA includes the authority to increase the sales tax within the area by ½ of 1 percent. The other part is that when many people hear “ RTA” they automatically think “rail”.

As I recently sat at a public hearing, listening to participants testifying in support for or in opposition to an RTA, it struck me how confused some people were with equating the RTA with rail. Many testified that they supported expanded regional bus systems but not rail. Without an RTA, regional bus systems will be very difficult to negotiate and integrate – one of the reasons for the lack of successful systems now. With the coordination of an RTA, and funding support, regional bus systems could be a reality.

The RTA would evaluate various types of transportation options for the region as a whole – no more fighting between Madison Metro and outlying communities about negotiated bus service. It includes assessing various types of transportation options and balancing those options with the types of transit that makes sense for the areas being served. Monona would not be served by rail, but it certainly could be served by a more robust bus system that perhaps could connect Monona with other communities (and I’m speaking as a chauffeur – I mean parent of teenagers who would definitely benefit from that service), as well as a bus system that runs throughout the day, and not just peak hours. Think of it - This regional bus system might even have routes and bus stops allowing riders to stop and frequent Monona businesses on Monona Drive!

So how could this work for Monona? First, it would allow for Monona to be part of a regional network that would serve Madison as well as outlying communities (including Cottage Grove). And paying for that integrated system would come from everyone’s purchases in the metropolitan planning area. Your property taxes would no longer pay for the Monona bus system. So for the 30% of commuters who come into the Madison area every day from outside of the metropolitan planning area, all of their gas, lunch, parking, shopping purchases in this area would help fund regional transportation options that we would benefit from. For those who spends $10,000/year, that cost would be an additional $50.00.

In addition to regional bus networks, the RTA funds could also be used to support other options, not only light rail, but also pedestrian and bike trails expanding on our system of integrated commuter options. One reason why AARP Wisconsin supports the RTA is because of the mobility options that could be funded by the RTA that would assist seniors.

While the support or lack of support for a rail line between Middleton and Sun Prairie is certainly controversial and vocal, I hope that those living in Monona and surrounding areas will hear above the shouts on both sides of the rail issue and understand the major benefits an RTA could have for us.

Many of us see the problems every day of not having coordinated, regional-based transit options for the metropolitan area. Between sitting in stop and go traffic on the beltline with one person in each car, to bouncing up and down Monona Drive trying to avoid potholes, to listening to the air advisories issued for Dane County making the air unhealthy to breathe due to high particulate matter, I have to believe that a regional, coordinated, and sufficiently funded transit authority could improve our quality of life. It certainly will not replace the need or desire for cars, but it will balance options so that we don’t have to solely rely on cars to get where we need to go.

Stay tuned – this will be a long process, but I’m optimistic that at the end of the process, we’ll see a transit system that all can be proud of and many will use routinely.