Letters
New Bar Center will be inaccessible by city bus
I am writing in response to State Bar President Susan Steingass's
claim in the November
1998 issue that "the new Bar Center will be readily accessible to
all (including the disabled) by public transportation."
The new Bar Center will be located on Eastpark Boulevard at the
northeastern edge of Madison. My Madison Metro bus map shows only routes
6 and 7 go anywhere near this location. The nearest route 7 stop is
about one mile driving distance from the new Bar Center site, and the
nearest route 6 stop is even father away and is separated from the new
Bar Center site by the I-90/94 expressway. The route 7 stop is separated
from the new Bar Center site by Highway 151, which in that area also is
a limited-access highway.
Even if a bus line were to be established going to the new Bar
Center, it would take about 40 minutes by bus to reach the site from
downtown - hardly realistic for busy, time-conscious lawyers. Compare
that with a new Bar Center in downtown Madison, where it would be just
steps from the Capitol, major law firms, and the U.S. and county
courthouses.
Nevertheless, I am willing to take our president at her word that the
new Bar Center will be "readily accessible" by public transportation. I
therefore respectfully invite Ms. Steingass to ride the bus with me out
to our "readily accessible" new Bar Center site. I'll pay her fare.
Timothy Kiefer
Madison
Early inquiries into possible bus service to our new building
resulted in the mistaken belief that the service did, or would, exist.
When we discovered that was not the case, we took immediate
action.
We learned from Madison Metro that the closest bus line to our
new building went to neighborhoods behind several of the businesses near
our building, but across Highway 151. In addition, American Family has
its own private shuttle service from East Towne Mall.
Neither of those alternatives is helpful to us right now.
However, we continue working with Madison Metro and American Family
about possible changes in the near future.
Madison Metro officials indicate that eventually, if the American
Center business park is populated to the point that bus service would be
warranted, it will expand its service into the area. There are some
encouraging signs that that will happen.
American Family will soon move the rest of its employees from its
old headquarters to its current building, doubling the workforce
there.
In addition to the State Bar's move to the area, the Wisconsin
Bankers Association is building a new office. Furthermore, a new U.W.
Clinic is under construction.
So, as you can see, the area is growing dramatically. We are
hopeful and, quite frankly, optimistic that these pending changes, and
future changes, will eventually result in bus service to our new
headquarters.
Susan R. Steingass, State Bar president
Madison
Wisconsin Lawyer