Fitchburg Transportation and Transit Commission Monthly Meeting - January 8, 2026

The Fitchburg Transportation and Transit Commission met on January 8, 2026, for its monthly meeting. The agenda and minutes were not included in the source materials; based on the transcript, the commission approved the agenda as amended and the prior meeting minutes as submitted. The meeting covered transit user experience, city transportation updates, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update, the Metro Transit budget deficit, and a potential bus stop closure.

Consent Calendar

• The commission approved the agenda after a motion to move item 7A before item 5; the vote was unanimous.
• The commission approved the prior meeting minutes as submitted with no corrections noted.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Barbara Roman, 3012 Dunmore, Fitchburg Highlands, described organizing a senior center Active Women's Group bus trip to the Chazen Museum on December 3. Twenty-two people signed up; ten rode because of scheduling and weather. She reported that all riders had a positive experience and wanted to keep using the bus.
• Roman recounted barriers for first-time and senior transit users, including: obtaining enough fare cards was cumbersome and she encountered reluctance when requesting 25 cards; card-loading instructions were confusing; the senior fare verification process asked riders to mail or email sensitive documents such as Medicare cards, birth certificates, passports, or driver's licenses; and the Route B return stop near the Chazen was poorly signed, making it easy for first-time riders to wait at the wrong stop.
• Roman said the sidewalk on the trip route had not been cleared from a 10-inch snowfall that occurred after Thanksgiving, leaving about three inches of ice along the entire sidewalk. She called the condition unacceptable and especially harmful for people who depend on transit.
• Roman strongly encouraged the city to sponsor bus-riding events, such as a Fitchburg day at the Dane County Farmers' Market, and to promote transit as a low-cost alternative to driving. She cited an example of paying $8 for parking versus a $2 bus fare.
• Staff confirmed that transit materials, including Fast Fare cards, instructions, system maps, and route schedules, are now available at the Fitchburg Public Library, with computer help available for loading cards.

Discussion Items

• Transit promotion (7A): Commissioners discussed forming a subcommittee to organize a community transit-riding event, possibly with the Resource Conservation Commission, the library, Metro Transit, or events such as Community Night Out. A commissioner noted the Round Trip program has a transit buddy program and has been invited to speak at a future meeting. One commissioner supported the idea enthusiastically, and another suggested collaboration with the Resource Conservation Commission based on its event experience.
• Staff report: Staff reported a permanent bus stop consolidation at East Cheryl and South Saien; a temporary stop relocation related to construction; a self-imposed one-week notification process for future stop and route changes; reduced service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 19; and ongoing Route B trip cancellations of about four to five trips per day because of electric bus repair and bus shortages. Staff also submitted an annual public transit assistance grant application of about $1.3 million to WisDOT. Police enforcement grants were announced for speed, seat belt, and impaired driving, and no-parking signs on Lacey Road between County MM and Brassica were flagged, with warnings through December 31 and possible citations beginning January 1.
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2025 Update (Resolution R174-25): Staff reviewed the process for updating the 2017 plan with MSA Professional Services, a working group, and a $25,000 budget. The draft review period was extended into October 2025, and MSA returned the draft in late October because of budget constraints. The Bike and Pedestrian Commission and the Community Equity Committee both tabled the plan. A commissioner speaking on behalf of Bike Fitchburg argued the plan was not ready, citing missing photo captions, confusing maps, some stock photos, and no references to climate change or the transit plan; he suggested council table it for three months and contract with Bike Fitchburg to finish it. Other commissioners cautioned against setting a precedent by contracting with an advocacy organization, noted staff capacity limits, and argued that implementation matters more than continued planning. After discussion, the commission voted to recommend approval, with the understanding that staff would provide a list of technical and clerical corrections and possible resolution language to allow those corrections.
• Metro Transit budget deficit: Staff said Madison ended 2025 with a $10.62 million citywide surplus and was allocating $5.75 million of it to cover Metro Transit's budget deficit. New Metro General Manager Jamie Acton said there is no immediate change to partner city billings because Fitchburg pays a fixed hourly rate on quarterly projections; an end-of-year settlement is spread over the following year's quarters, and the annual cost-of-service adjustment is capped at 3 percent. A commissioner clarified that fare revenue is credited to the municipality where the rider boards.
• Potential closure of Bus Stop 4443: Staff and commissioners discussed closing the Fish Hatchery Road at Greenway Cross stop, which is located just north of the Fitchburg-Madison line but affects Fitchburg traffic. The stop is used by Routes B and H with 36 boardings per day. Under BRT, the B stop is planned to move south of Greenway Cross; the H alternative would be a four-minute walk to Bright Road, and the B alternative would be a six-minute walk across the street. Staff compared this to recent D2/75 reroute closures with seven- and nine-minute walks. Some commissioners were skeptical of closing a bus stop to speed car traffic and warned against confusing riders; no consensus was reached. Staff was asked to gather police data and revisit the issue.
• Council and commission updates: Commission members summarized recent Common Council actions, including approval of a new medium-high density residential land use category; preliminary plat approval for the No Oaks subdivision; support for a SBTGTA grant application for the Traceway and Post Road path; appointment of Jake Leppard to fill a council vacancy; approval of the city transit plan; first approval of the Grace on Cheryl dementia village; an 80-unit senior affordable plus 100-unit market-rate multifamily development at Orchard Point; and a pre-application for a 34-acre mixed-use development at 2991 County Highway MM with Trilogy Healthcare, including senior living, single-family homes, apartments, townhouses, and neighborhood commercial uses. The commission also discussed Smart Code updates, an RFP for a comprehensive plan update, and Bike and Pedestrian Commission work on RRFB warrants and HAWK signals.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda amended and approved; minutes approved unanimously.
• Resolution R174-25, recommending approval of the City of Fitchburg Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2025 Update, was approved on a voice vote with no audible opposition. The recommendation will go to the Common Council; staff expects to provide a proposed corrections list and technical-correction language.
• No formal action was taken on Bus Stop 4443; staff will seek additional police data and report back.
• Logan, a commissioner, will take the lead on organizing a transit-promotion event; Barbara Roman agreed to email her rider instructions to staff, and staff will help publicize through city channels.
• The next regular meeting was announced for February 12, 2026. February 4 was noted as Transit Equity Day and Rosa Parks' birthday. The meeting adjourned on a unanimous motion.