City of Madison digs bus stop out of woman’s yard — without telling her first

Amy Reid by Amy Reid

A woman in Madison is hoping the city will listen to her after workers dug a bus stop right out of her front yard — and she said she had no idea it was happening.

Monica Johnson lives on Reetz Road. On Thursday she said she came home to find a giant hole cut out of her front yard. She had to chase down construction workers to find out that it was for a bus pad, which gives easier access for people with disabilities.

Imagine coming home to this– a giant hole in your front yard, and you have no idea why. That’s what happened to Monica Johnson. Turns out the city was planning for a bus stop and just didn’t tell her. The cost? $3,300. #News3Now pic.twitter.com/25CHljp6Tq

— Amy Reid (@amyreidreports) May 4, 2019

Since then, she’s made calls to her alder, the city, the mayor, the metro and multiple lawyers.

She said she understands it has to go somewhere, but she just doesn’t want it in her front yard right in front of her window.

“I’m trying so hard to get this resolved in a way that works for the bus riders and the city and me,” Johnson said. “But right now I feel like they aren’t concerned at all about what works for me.”

News 3 Now spoke with metro transit and city engineering, and both said they are working with Johnson.

Hannah Mohelnitzky, a spokeswoman for the engineering division for the city, said somehow, they didn’t tell her they were putting this in, though they did tell her about construction on her street.

Because of the confusion, the division has altered the project, opting to cut the square footage for a sidewalk and taking care of that cost themselves. Johnson was originally billed $3,300 for the upgrades on her street, not including the bus pad, but now she will only be responsible for $2,300, according to Mohelnitzky.

“At this point we are committed to making sure that we’re working with her,” Mohelnitzky said. “We want to do right by this, and we want to take this moment to reflect and think, ‘How can we do this better?'”

Metro transit is in charge of the bus stop and pad placements. Officials said they are talking with Johnson and will decide if they can move it on Monday.

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