Madeira could lose its only seven-day-a-week bus route under a proposal Metro posted in late September.
The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, which operates as Metro, is weighing two options for Route 61, the line that connects Mt. Airy to downtown Madeira along Galbraith Road. One would reroute the line through Kenwood, Dawson, Miami and Euclid avenues. The other would end Route 61 at Kenwood Mall, removing service in Madeira entirely.
Under either option, Metro says the Madeira Park & Ride on Dawson Road would still be served by Route 2. But Route 2 is a commuter line that runs Monday through Friday only, according to Metro's schedule. Route 61 currently operates seven days a week. Metro's announcement does not address the weekend gap.
The proposed changes are scheduled to take effect Sunday, Dec. 6.
Paratransit coverage at risk
Losing Route 61 would also shrink Madeira's paratransit coverage. Metro's Access service, which provides door-to-door rides for people with disabilities, operates only within three-quarters of a mile of a regular bus route. Fewer routes mean a smaller Access zone.
Council member Dr. Alicia Camper raised that connection at the June 22 Madeira City Council meeting during a separate discussion about bus-route changes on residential streets. "The new Metro service Access can only be offered within bus routes, so to Access Madeira wide, we need more bus routes rather than fewer," Camper said at that meeting.
Route 61 launched just over two years ago, on Aug. 11, 2024. At the time, Madeira's city manager's report described it as a new connection linking communities on Cincinnati's west side to businesses in downtown Madeira.
How to weigh in
Metro has scheduled three public meetings on the full package of proposed route changes:
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 5–7 p.m.: Madeira City Council Chambers, 7141 Miami Ave., Madeira. The meeting site is accessible by Route 61.
- Tuesday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m.–noon: Virtual meeting. Registration is available on Metro's website.
- Wednesday, Oct. 7, 5–7 p.m.: Public Library, 800 Vine St., Cincinnati (3 South Room D).
Comments must be received by noon Friday, Oct. 9, to be included in Metro's final decision. Feedback can be submitted through a survey on Metro's website or by email at [email protected].
No named Metro official has commented publicly on the rationale for the Madeira elimination option. Metro's announcement does not cite ridership figures for Route 61. No statement from Madeira Mayor Tom Henning or City Manager Michael Norton-Smith on the elimination proposal appears in public records as of publication.
