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Transportation Services highlights campus changes

August 28, 2012 By Käri Knutson

Transportation Services is reminding the campus community of several recent and upcoming changes to bus routes, auto parking, moped parking and the SAFEride program.

Bus routes

A budget deficit of $1 million and a significant amount of construction in the campus area have caused changes to routes.

Photo: campus bus at night

Changes to Metro Transit campus bus routes are now in effect.

Photo: Jeff Miller

While some bus stops may no longer be served, other stops will see improved service. Transportation Services encourages all members of the UW–Madison community to familiarize themselves with the changes by visiting  Metro Transit’s website. Updated maps and schedules will be posted at all affected bus stops. The new routes are shown in these maps. Please pay careful attention to the detours.

The following service changes will be effective Sunday, Aug. 26th, 2012:

—Route 81 will be adjusted to the same frequency as route 82, running every 30 minutes.

—Route 85 will be absorbed to form the “new” route 80. It will run on Dayton Street to Lake Street. People previously taking the 85 may now take the 80 or 81. For route information, see the maps.

—Route 80, 81 and 82 geography will be adjusted to accommodate Memorial Union construction. Buses will not be traveling on Observatory Drive between Park Street and Charter Street for the foreseeable future, likely until August 2013. The 80 will go as far as Langdon and Park streets to the east of Bascom Hill and the 81 goes as far as Observatory and Charter to the west.

—The Route 81 late-night route has changed from 15-minute service to 30-minute service.

Moped parking

Moped parking will require parking in an assigned space starting Sept. 1. Transportation Services has created the new system to ensure the safety of both moped users and the campus community by assigning parking lots for each moped permit as well as designating several all-access lots where any permit is valid during the day. No permit is required after 4:30 p.m. The Residence Hall Moped Parking Permit application is available through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Photo: Moped rider on campus

Moped parking on campus will now require a permit.

Photo: Jeff Miller

—Permits will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis, assuming applications meet the requirement of living in a nearby dorm.

—All remaining Residence Hall Moped Parking Permits that were not ordered by Sept. 4 will be put into the general Moped Parking Permit availability pool for purchase.

—Residence Hall Moped Permit purchasers will be contacted via email with directions for permit payment and pickup.

Night parking on campus

Currently, up to 70 percent of campus parking lots are controlled at night. Transportation Services will be adding only four parking garages to that group, beginning Sept. 1.

The garages being added to control include Lot 17 (Engineering Drive Ramp), Lot 20 (University Avenue Ramp), Lot 36 (Observatory Drive Ramp) and Lot 76 (University Bay Drive Ramp). Aside from these four garages, the same campus lots will remain free and open to the public after 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.

In an effort to further increase the flexibility of night parking on campus, Transportation Services is offering two new Night Parking Permits that will be valid in lots and garages that are already controlled at night.

Night Permit Surface Lots ($125 per year)

The Surface Lot Night Permit will allow students and staff access to parking in more than 24 lots that are currently controlled 24 hours a day and accessible only with a Base Lot Permit.

Access to these lots, from 4:30 p.m.-7 a.m. weekdays, and all day Saturday and Sunday, will now be available to any Surface Lot Night Permit holder.

This permit is valid in any of the controlled surface lots including 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 21, 22, 28, 30, 33, 44, 45, 48, 52, 68, 69, 78, 81, 87, 88, 91, 92, 94 and surface stalls only in lots 79 and 95.

Night Permit Garage Specific ($40 per year)

The Garage Specific Night Permit will give students and staff access to affordable parking in a specific, selected parking garage on campus. Access to these garages, from 4:30 p.m.-7 a.m. weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday, will be available with a Garage Specific Night Permit.

Available garages to choose from include 6, 7, 17, 20, 27, 29, 36, 46, 76, 80, and 83.

SAFEride discontinued but SAFEwalk still offered

The UW–Madison SAFEride Cab program that provided late night taxi rides for students ended June 30.

The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) has encouraged students to utilize the existing SAFEwalk program in conjunction with the campus bus system to enhance individual safety on and near campus at night.

SAFEwalk service provides escorted walks within the SAFEwalk boundaries and is available by calling 262-5000. SAFEwalk is available from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. April 1 through Sept.  30, and 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Oct. 1 through March 31.

See more information, including a map of the area where SAFEwalk is offered, here.

Parking Permit assignments

As of Aug. 17, all campus Parking Permit Assignments were sent out via email. If you believe you should have received an assignment but did not receive an email, please review your Transportation Services account.