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02/21/2023 10:10 AMThe Town is seeking input on public transportation issues from all Madison residents. According to Town officials, the survey is being conducted on the Town website to collect data on commuting and transportation habits.
First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons said the survey’s data will be critical in assessing town needs and also in locating and applying for grant and funding resources. Worker commutes are only one of the issues included in public transportation discussions.
“As we look at housing affordability and accessibility of the community to our region, it is obviously important to look at transportation,” Lyons said. “And making sure that we are providing what is needed for people to get to where they need to go. Madison does not have a lot of public transportation right now, so I think that we as a community want to encourage residents not to rely on their personal vehicles for every trip and to look at other potential sources.”
According to Lyons, implementing public transport is a difficult undertaking for any municipality, compounded by the fact that residents rely almost exclusively on their vehicles for work, errands, and most other travel, especially on the shoreline. Lyons said both bus and train service pose access constraints for Madison residents.
“It is hard to do that when we have limited Shoreline East service and very limited bus service. I think that we are exploring ways to improve that, including this survey,” said Lyons.
The Selectwoman also said that many Madison residents are choosing to stay in town once they retire, making alternative travel options an increasing concern.
“This will really help address some of those issues. I think exploring ways we can improve that is important because when people age in place, they lose the ability to move around as easily too. So, they look to the senior center and for doctor’s appointments. We want to know what that demand is,” Lyons said.
According to Lyons, providing options for the skillset of younger workers is also critical for the town’s progress. Many younger workers, having started their careers remotely, are finding the expense of vehicle ownership unnecessary. Statistics show that there has been a marked decrease over the last decade of teens even bothering to get their operator’s license, instead utilizing ride-share services or public transport as their mode of transportation. According to state statistics, the number of licensed 18-year-olds has declined by about 20% from 1983 to 2018.
“We also want to attract a younger workforce and to have new families come to town, and to do that, we need simply need to have more transportation options for those families,” said Lyons. “Trying to get information on what the needs are and their desires are is important. Wouldn’t it be great to have a bus service that would bring people from North Madison to the downtown area? There are also congestion issues to consider, especially in the summer months. I think providing better services for people and getting cars off the road can help with all of that.”
For more information, visit madisonct.org. To participate in the survey, visit surveymonkey.com/r/5WGPK57