This articulated bus is similar in size to the ones Madison will purchase for its coming BRT system. The city is looking to use federal funds to purchase an initial 27 electric articulated buses.
Madison will use $41.6 million in federal funding to buy 27 electric buses for the coming first phase of the city’s bus rapid transit system, pushing the city’s goal of an all-electric BRT closer to reality.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and nine City Council members on Tuesday introduced a resolution to authorize a contract with New Flyer of Winnipeg, Manitoba, to purchase the initial 27 zero-emission buses and approving the next steps for the 15.5-mile first phase of the BRT project that will run roughly from East Towne Mall to West Towne Mall. A future route will run from north to south.
The resolution calls for a base order of 27 60-foot all-electric articulated buses, which is more than half of the 46 vehicles needed to operate the upcoming BRT system. It also includes an option to add 19 more vehicles if more funding becomes available through the federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act and Small Starts grant programs.
The contract with New Flyer includes options of either 14 additional diesel BRT buses, at a cost of $14 million, or the 19 additional electric BRT buses at a cost of $28.9 million. Either option must be selected no later than Dec. 31.
“I am grateful to President (Joe) Biden and Secretary (Pete) Buttigieg for helping Madison move quickly to implement a fully electric BRT system,” Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “I also want to thank Alds. Furman and Foster for being early champions of this resolution, and all alders who signed onto this important investment for the future of our transportation network, the future of our dynamic economy and the sustainability of our environment for generations to come.”
BRT, a high-frequency, high-capacity, limited-stop service that would run on city streets and dedicated lanes with special stations, is also the backbone of the coming Metro Transit network redesign, a new vision of the entire bus system.
With each of Metro’s current buses using approximately 5,658 gallons of diesel each year, electric buses are expected to conserve nearly a quarter-million gallons of fuel yearly, according to the mayor’s statement. With no engines, transmissions, intakes or exhaust systems, electric vehicles can also save up to $125,000 in maintenance costs per vehicle during the lifetime of the bus.
Converting Metro’s fleet to electric is one of the most important things the city can do to address climate change. Electric buses take cars off the street and release zero emissions back into the atmosphere, with each one saving an estimated 135 metric tons of greenhouse gas annually, according to the mayor’s office.
39 Madison-area restaurant, bar and coffee shop openings in 2021, including more on the way
Stadium Takeout
Don Woods opened Stadium Takeout in early October, next to his barber shop, Faded Club, on Monroe Street, where Lorraine’s, and before that, New Orleans Take-Out, were.
The Harvey House
Joe Papach and Shaina Robbins Papach opened this modern-day supper club in July, tucked into the Madison Train Depot, behind Motorless Motion Bicycles on West Washington Avenue.
Delicacies of Asia
Ting Cai Zhou opened this State Street counter-service restaurant where Lotsa Stone Fired Pizza was.
Kettle Black Kitchen
Brian and Alicia Hamilton opened this intimate, full-service 30-seat restaurant on Monroe Street in August across from Trader Joe’s where Joon, Burgrito and Double S BBQ were.
Patricia’s Taqueria & Groceries
Patricia Sánchez and Adrian Serrato opened this restaurant and store in the former Farm Tavern, south of the Beltline. In November, they opened a second one in Lakewood Plaza Shopping Center at Sherman and Commercial avenues.
Forage Kitchen Middleton
Henry Aschauer opened a fourth of his healthy fast-food restaurants in November on Old Sauk Road in a former Cousins Subs shop.
Portillo’s West
Madison’s second Portillo’s hot dog restaurant with a three-lane drive-thru opened at West Towne Mall where a Sears Auto Center was.
Grace Coffee Co.
Carlos Falcon opened his fifth and sixth coffee shops, one on Park Street in the Peloton Residences apartments, the other in Verona, next to the new high school.
Sunroom Cafe
Juan Montiel and his father, Euler Montiel, bought this second-floor, State Street favorite last summer and added some of their native Venezuelan specialties.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
This Louisiana-based chain, focused on chicken strips, opened in June next to Colectivo Coffee on State Street.
Ancora Cafe + Bakery
The cafe opened in February in Maple Bluff where Manna Café was. It joins Tori Gerding’s King Street Ancora and her Ancora on University Avenue.
Mercies Coffee
Mallory Orr, who briefly worked at the 20-year-old Cool Beans, near East Towne Mall, opened her new shop in its place in December.
Poke Bar
Evelyn Jian opened her small Middleton counter-service restaurant in early May.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Deli
Mike Hottinger opened this counter-service shop in mid-September on State Street in what had been Frutta Bowls.
Blind Shot Golf & Social Club
Brent Mann and Michelle Duvall opened their indoor golf club, bar and restaurant in June on Fair Oaks Avenue on the ground level of the mixed-use Garver Point Apartments.
Mount Vernon Tap
Walter Heinrich and Jennie Corey-Heinrich took over the popular bar Marcine’s in Mount Vernon and renamed it. They promised to keep almost everything the same.
Granny’s Kitchen
Tyrone Austin and Ondray Sellers, with help from Mary Bridges, opened the takeout restaurant in February in the back of a Citgo gas station on Northport Drive.
Takarajima Sushi
Jeannie Ni opened this sushi spot in April on Cottage Grove Road where Good Food Low Carb Café was.
Takara Sushi Station
Jeannie Ni opened her conveyor-belt sushi restaurant in August on Whitney Way where, for 14 years, she co-owned Takara Japanese Restaurant.
Marquette Hotel Café
James Montgomery opened the cafe mid-May in his three-year-old hotel on South Baldwin Street off Williamson Street.
Bombay Fast Café
Madhuri Ranade opened her food cart in June on Library Mall, and sells four items.
Good News Ice Cream
Andy Haker, who owns Madison’s on King Street, turned the restaurant-bar’s party room into an artisan ice cream and coffee shop.
Oz by Oz
Sam Parker, Ryan Huber and Brian Bartels, who also own neighboring Settle Down Tavern, opened the bar in October on King Street.
Leopold’s Books Bar Caffe
Sam Brown opened a combination bookstore, bar and café in July next to the Regent Street Rocky’s, where Greenbush Bakery was.
Taco Local
David Rodriguez opened Taco Local in April on Williamson Street where Underground Butcher was.
Dive Inn
Ryan Ramig and Josh Wacker opened a bar on Cottage Grove Road where JoBeck’s Bar was.
Hone
Michael Parks opened this eclectic restaurant in the former Forequarter space on East Johnson Street.
City Barbeque
This Ohio-based chain opened its first Wisconsin location in March at the corner of Gammon and Mineral Point roads.
Rising Sons Verona
Sinarack “Be” Macvilay opened a third Rising Sons Laotian-Thai restaurant on West Verona Avenue, where Jordandal Cookhouse was.
Camp Beef Butter BBQ
Patrick Riha, who owns Beef Butter BBQ restaurant on the North Side, opened this seasonal outdoor spot in the town of Westport.
Buck & Honey’s Waunakee
The restaurant, in the former Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar, had a soft opening in December 2020, but is being counted as a 2021 opening.
Forma
Nathan Mergen, who owns the restaurant/bar 107 State at that address, expanded next door last spring into the former Shoo store, for a private dining room and “urban art gallery.”
Dark Horse ArtBar
Patrick DePula of Salvatore’s Tomato Pies on East Washington Avenue took over the space next door that used to be Star Bar for an art gallery, bar, and performance art and music venue.
Coming soon: Jacknife
Jacknife will be a fast-casual restaurant on East Washington Avenue from the owners of the sushi favorite RED.
Coming soon: Chasers 2.0
Chasers Bar & Grille was chased out of its West Gorham Street home because of redevelopment, but Chasers 2.0 is opening in the old Nomad spot a block away.
Coming Soon: East Johnson Family Restaurant
East Johnson Family Restaurant, an upscale diner from the couple behind Johnson Public House.
Coming Soon: Driftless Social
Driftless Social in Mount Horeb, a supper club in the old Schubert’s diner and bakery from Matt and Tim Schmock, two grandsons of the founders of Smoky’s Club in Madison.
Coming Soon: Mio Fratello
Mio Fratello, a pizza place on the North Side from Alessandro Monachello and Chris Guglielmo. The partners have tweaked their business model to do catering and pop-up events. They’ve been selling their wood-fired pizza at the North Side Farmers’ Market and at festivals and private events.
Coming soon: Red Rooster
Red Rooster in the former Knuckle Down Saloon from Jesse Steinberg, Paul Schwoerer, Tim Payne and Dan Resnick, members of Madtown Mannish Boys, a local blues band.
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