Transit Corridor Study & Bus Rapid Transit Planning – Madison, WI

SRF led a comprehensive bus rapid transit (BRT) planning study for four major travel corridors in Madison. The project evaluated BRT concepts, ridership and demand patterns, travel time improvements, capital and operating costs, and community impacts to identify the recommended BRT strategy that will improve mobility, reduce congestion, and strengthen regional connectivity.

Study Purpose and Regional Mobility Needs

To better connect key destinations across the Madison metropolitan area, SRF evaluated transit improvements linking the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, downtown employment districts, residential neighborhoods, and regional commercial hubs. The goal was to assess how BRT could enhance mobility for residents, students, workers, and visitors while supporting economic growth and improving access across the region.

BRT Concepts and Corridor Evaluation

The study examined multiple BRT operating concepts, ranging from mixed-traffic service to fully dedicated guideway systems. SRF evaluated each concept for:

• Travel time savings
• Reliability and operational performance
• Integration with existing and planned transit services
• Feasibility within each corridor’s physical and operational constraints

This provided a clear comparison of performance tradeoffs across all four corridors.

Planning Analysis and Technical Approach

As the lead consultant, SRF guided the full technical analysis including:

• Public involvement and stakeholder engagement
• Transit concept development and refinement
• Service planning and system integration
• Origin-destination surveys and travel pattern analysis
• Ridership forecasting and demand modeling
• Capital and operating cost estimates
• Land use and equity impacts
• Scenario development and evaluation
• Technical documentation and reporting

This comprehensive planning effort ensured that each alternative was evaluated consistently and transparently.

FTA New Starts Coordination

The study followed a structured goal-setting and alternative analysis process aligned with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts criteria. SRF facilitated:

• Establishment of project goals and performance measures
• Screening of mode and alignment options
• Detailed evaluation of BRT concepts against federal readiness benchmarks

This positioned Madison to pursue federal funding and advance its recommended BRT investment strategy.

Evaluation Results and Corridor Recommendations

The final phase compared all BRT alternatives across metrics such as:

• Travel time improvement
• Ridership potential
• Economic development opportunities
• Environmental benefits
• Equity and land use outcomes
• Capital and operating cost effectiveness

SRF identified a recommended BRT strategy for each corridor, creating a clear implementation roadmap for the City of Madison and regional partners.

Resource Links:
City of Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

Internal Categories:
Transit Planning, Design & Implementation
Urban Mobility
Traffic & Technology

More from:
Madison, WI