6th March 2010, 08:28 am
North Troost Ave. in KCMO Northland.
The recent death of a KCK girl at her bus stop underscores the need for sidewalks in many metro area neighborhoods that were built in the 1950s through the 1970s, when when many local cities didn’t require developers to include sidewalks. For example, west-central KCK, Waldo and the inner Northland in KCMO, and parts of Raytown, Independence, and northeast Johnson County all lack curbs and sidewalks.
In KCK, a sales tax proposal on the April 13th ballot would include some funds to help property owners install new sidewalks. Residents in the dead child’s neighborhood are asking for the pragmatic step of starting with sidewalks near schools and bus stops. The Safe Routes to School program provides grants to cities and school districts for things like sidewalks.
In KCMO, Mayor Mark Funkhouser’s Schools First initiative would focus on sidewalks around schools. Unfortunately it’s getting a cool reception from the City Council, including some Councilmembers who are normally very supportive of pedestrian issues.
Another troubling development in KCMO are efforts by Northland real estate developers to kill the city’s requirement for sidewalks on both sides of the street in new developments.
Fox 4: Bus stop tragedy focuses attention on sales tax.
KCK sales tax proposal.
KCMO Schools First initiative.
5th March 2010, 12:41 pm
On March 11th there will be a screening and panel discussion of Contested Streets, a powerful documentary showing how modern cities can be redesigned to put people first, not cars. Two local streets will be selected for further study of how to re-imagine them as “green streets” designed for human livability.
Panelists include KCMO City Councilmember Jan Marcason and a group of urban planners and landscape architects. This is a must-see event for anyone interested in bicycle/pedestrian issues, sustainability, urban development, etc.
Designing Streets for Living
Thursday, March 11th, 5:30 p.m.
American Institute of Architects – Kansas City
1801 McGee Street, KCMO 64108 in the Crossroads District
The event is sponsored by the Kansas City Design Center, the American Institute of Architects – Kansas City, and the Mid-America Regional Council. Boulevard Brewery is proving free refreshments.
Download the event poster (PDF)
19th February 2010, 06:44 pm
The Star reports that the Kansas House of Representatives has approved legislation to allow buses to on the shoulders of Interstate highways. Shoulder-running Bust Rapid Transit is Johnson County’s current plan to enhance transit in the I-35 corridor between Olathe and Downtown KCMO. The Senate and Governor’s desk are up next.
This project is different from, but complimentary to, BRT to the Plaza on Metcalf Avenue and Shawnee Mission Parkway. That project just received TIGER stimulus funds to begin improvements to bus stops and such.
Both projects will improve existing service, but will do nothing to add new service without new operational funding. Currently Johnson County Transit has no dedicated funding source and must rely on annual appropriations from the county’s general fund.
Related:
17th February 2010, 01:49 pm
Kansas City’s TIGER award has been announced at $50 million, split between the Green Impact Zone and suburban transit. The GIZ money will go towards repaving streets, replacing traffic signals, and rebuilding ten miles of sidewalks and curbs.
The transit funding will towards improving links from the East Side to suburban office parks in the Northland and southwest suburbs. Money will be spent on things like bus stops, connecting sidewalks, lighting, etc. Sadly, no new service will come from this money. Most of the transit funding will go to future BRT corridors along State Avenue in KCK and the Metcalf/Shawnee corridor in Johnson County, even though neither county has a plan to pay for operating BRT.
Projects that didn’t get funded include a Downtown streetcar circulator, a comprehensive bicycle/pedestrian program, a freight rail project, and an expansion of Front Street.
KC regional TIGER application.
List of national TIGER recipients (PDF)
16th February 2010, 09:33 pm
As we’ve mentioned before, the KC region recently applied for $83 million in TIGER stimulus money for an multimodal transportation package of transit, bike/ped, roads, and freight rail. Wednesday morning Ray LaHood will be here along with Congressman Cleaver and Mayor Funkhouser to announce we’ve been awarded. At this time there are details about how much of the $83 million request will be funded, or what pieces.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
Wednesday, February 17th, 10:30 a.m.
Green Impact Zone office
4600 The Paseo, Kansas City, MO
11th February 2010, 11:43 am
Let’s Go KC is asking KCMO citizens to speak up for funding maintenance of trails, bike lanes, bike racks, etc. The city has finally started investing in these facilities, but has yet to budget for ongoing repair and upkeep.
With the 2010-2011 city budget under review this month, now is the time to let City Councilmembers know that it is important to maintain these new investments.
Send a letter and/or attend a public budget hearing.
29th January 2010, 03:30 pm
The Mid-America Regional Council is currently developing a new long-range transportation plan for the Kansas City metro, and it includes a new land-use scenario that would encourage more compact, sustainable, and efficient development patterns. The plan focuses new investments around existing infrastructure, which will help developing communities grow more efficiently and older communities redevelop more successfully. This new development model would facilitate better investment in sustainable transportation choices like transit, walking, and bicycling. It is called the Adaptive Land Use Scenario.
While MARC has created a very good plan, local elected officials need to hear from constituents that there is public support for making the policy changes to implement this plan. You can learn about the Adaptive Land Use Scenario in Transportation 2040 at one of these upcoming public meetings:
Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010
7–8:30 p.m.
Johnson County Central Resource Library
9875 West 87th St., Overland Park, KS 66212
[Map] [Please RSVP]
Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010
7–8:30 p.m.
Gladstone Community Center
6901 N. Holmes, Gladstone, MO 64118
[Map] [Please RSVP]
Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010
7–8:30 p.m.
Kansas City Public Library – Plaza Branch, Lower Level
4801 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64112
[Map] [Please RSVP]
28th January 2010, 06:40 pm
Today the federal government announced billions of dollars in stimulus funds for high speed rail. Over a billion dollars will go to upgrade the St. Louis to Chicago route to 110 mph. Missouri is also getting $31 million to upgrade the KC-St. Louis route to continue recent work to reduce travel times and increase reliability. That route needs a lot of work to get up to real high speed rail, so for now the state is working on projects to get the line ready for high speed rail in the future.
Kansas is also getting some money to plan for a new passenger rail service from Kansas City to Wichita, Oklahoma City, and Fort Worth, TX.
KC Light Rail has more details about today’s announcements.
22nd January 2010, 02:51 pm
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders will discuss his plan for a regional commuter rail network across Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Wyandotte Counties.
Tuesday, January 26th at 11:45 a.m.
Central Exchange, 1020 Central Street, Downtown
Lunch included and registration required
$30 for non-Central Exchange members.
So far few details have been released, so this is a chance to learn more and ask questions.
30th December 2009, 12:16 pm
Check out this great article from the Washington Post on the problems that seniors are facing as they become too old to drive and find themselves becoming virtual shut-ins in the car-dependent suburbs. The narrowing of transportation options has a direct impact on the livability of their communities.
The generation that gave birth to suburbia and the two-car garage is reaching the age at which driving, for many, no longer seems like such a swell option…. “The concern is that when they no longer can drive, they will find themselves trapped in their homes in suburban neighborhoods where there are no sidewalks, or, if there are sidewalks, there’s no place to walk to”
While specific to the Washington, DC metro area, it certainly applies to Kansas City. Seniors in KC are in an even tougher situation since our region lacks the suburban public transit network present in DC. They also have many more walkable suburban town centers with services like groceries, doctors, shops, etc. in close proximity.
KC seniors who want to remain independent without driving are mostly limited to the Downtown/Plaza/Brookside corridor. While there are a few fledgling possibilities in the suburbs (e.g. Zona Rosa, Downtown Lee’s Summit, or Prairie Village), these areas are islands unto themselves and lack the full range of services for shopping, health care, and entertainment. Grocery stores and hospitals are usually beyond walking distance of even the best suburban downtown district.
Reforming our land use policies to encourage development of more mixed-use suburban town centers would give suburban seniors better options for “aging in place” in the communities where they have lived for decades. Linking these suburban town centers with public transit would give seniors mobility around the metro area. People shouldn’t be uprooted from their existing social networks simply because they stop driving.
