Lee’s Summit recently completed an updated Transit Demand Analysis (PDF) to determine what needs exist in the community, and what types of service are feasible.  Recommendations center around bolster the current express service to Downtown Kansas City and expanding the MetroFlex service that transports seniors and the disabled within the city.

The analysis found strong community demand for improved transit service in Lee’s Summit.  This fact should encourage city leaders to take a more active role in planning for a regional bus and rail system in the Missouri suburbs.  Lee’s Summit already has a leading role in planning for a combined rail and trail corridor on the old Rock Island Line, and is working with neighbors to secure funds to purchase it.

Identified transit needs in Lee’s Summit:

Commutes to Downtown KCMO
The current #152X Raytown/Lee’s Summit route was expanded in 2008. Additional needs include new express routes from the western and eastern parts of the city, plus a mid-day service to improve the flexibility and convenience of the service.

Commutes within Lee’s Summit
There is no fixed-route service for residents who work within the community.  Dispersed housing and employment centers will be a huge challenge for addressing this need.

Senior and disabled service
Population growth and dispersal are increasing the need for more service over a larger area. As of January 2010 the #252 MetroFlex service will increase hours and cover a larger territory of Lee’s Summit, providing better access to medical care, shopping, etc.

Reverse Commutes
Service into Lee’s Summit from other cities is difficult since the #152 express only stops at a park-and-ride lot, and there is no intra-city service to transfer people to their workplaces.

Commutes to other suburbs
Demand is growing for service to Johnson County, especially the College Boulevard corridor.

Additional data:

70% of Lee’s Summit residents work outside of the city, yet the southeast suburbs have the least amount of transit service in the metro area.

Lee’s Summit only spends 30% of the federal transit money available to it, even though a quirk of its Census designation means that the city’s local match is much less than other metro suburbs. This means modest local investments could have a huge impact.

3% of people who work in Downtown KC use the #152X bus.  5% would be a realistic goal in the near term.