The metro area has developed a regional application for the latest round of economic stimulus funding for transportation projects.  The Mid-America Regional Council, KC Area Transportation Authority, and City of Kansas City, MO have joined together to create a $93 million multi-modal plan including streets, transit, freight rail, bicycling, walking, and ADA. The application will go the federal government where it will compete for part of a national pot of $1.5 billion.

This particular grant program places a special emphasis on transportation investments that enhance the sustainability, livability, and safety of communities. KCMO Resolution 090716 details the specific allocations proposed for each project.

Green Impact Zone: $26.1 Million
Street resurfacing, sidewalks, traffic signals, pervious pavement, transit facilities, and Troost Bridge over Brush Creek. More about the Green Impact Zone.

Regional Transit: $27.5 Million
Design and engineering of a Downtown streetcar car system.  Infrastructure improvements on future Bus Rapid Transit routes include North Oak, Metcalf, State Avenue, and Easter Jackson County.

Bicycle and Pedestrian: $12.1 Million
Multi-use trails, on-street bicycle routes (including bike lanes), bicycle parking, sidewalks, crosswalks, ADA accommodations, and comprehensive education and encouragement programs.

Rail and Front Street: $21.8 Million
Freight railroad infrastructure.  Reloction/expansion of Front Street west of Paseo Bridge.

We should know by the end of January if our application is funded. See KCMO Resolution 090716 for more details.

The City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is currently considering applications for the next round transportation funding from the economic stimulus program, which goes by the acronym TIGER.

While all projects sound very worthy, their combined $340 million price tag is more than the $300 million expected to be available for the entire state of Missouri. The city and possibly suburban neighbors will have to make some hard choices about which projects or combination of projects is submitted to the Feds.  The US Department of Transportation criteria for selection includes long0-term impact, sustainability, livability, economic competitiveness, and safety.

Downtown Streetcar – proposed by the KCATA. 2.5 mile loop between the River Market and Crown Center. The hope is that up to $100 million in construction costs could be paid for by the feds and the operating costs paid for by an assessment on property along the route. This 2.5 mile segment is deemed the most likely to succeed from the recent light rail study.  The tracks would be built to accommodate light rail vehicles in the future. Streetcar presentation (PowerPoint).

Regional Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) - Proposed by the Mid-America Regional Council.  MAX service on Main Street and Troost Avenue would be expanded to four more Smart Moves corridors in Kansas City and the suburbs – North Oak, 40 Hwy, State Avenue, and Metcalf Avenue/Shawnee-Mission Parkway in Johnson County. Cost is estimated at $50-100 million.  A lack of ongoing operating money is a big weakness, especially for the two Kansas routes. BRT presentation (PDF).

Bicycle/Pedestrian Network – Proposed by the city’s Public Works Department.  The proposal would speed the build out of both on-street bike routes and multi-use trails, sidewalk construction and repair, crosswalks, curb cuts, and many ADA accessibility improvements.  The $45 million plan would have a strong emphasis would be placed on creating transportation corridors for bicycle and pedestrian commuters. Transforming Transportation for a Livable Kansas City (PDF).

Urban Transportation Safety Program - Another Public Works proposal includes $20 million in sidewalk improvements as part of a $97 million package for street resurfacing, traffic signals, etc. It would cover the city’s East Side, between the Missouri River and 103 Street, east of The Paseo. Presentation (PDF).

The T&I Committee’s blog has more information on these and other proposed projects. For even more context, archived video of the July 16th and 23rd committee meetings is online.

Kansas City is feeling the crunch of the national recession, and needs to cut at least $80 million from the upcoming 2009-2010 budget.  This makes it more important than usual to speak up for transportation choice.  Over the next six weeks there will be a public hearing in each of the six City Council districts.  This is your chance to ask your elected representatives to make sure that transportation choice remains viable in Kansas City.

Here some specific items that are either in danger of cuts and/or things that are competing for funds:

• Bus service – The City Manager is proposing a 15% cut from the KCATA budget, just as more people are using and relying on public transit.
• Crosswalks – Paint for crosswalks was cut from the 2008-2009 budget and should be restored to protect pedestrian safety.

Find your Council District.

Budget Hearings:

Next week the KCMO City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will have three open houses around the city to get citizen input on the committee’s work.   This committee deals with things like roads, bridges, trails, bike routes, sidewalks, transit, etc.

During tight budget times it is especially critical for us to speak up and let the City Council know that bicycle, pedestrian, and transit funding are important and deserving ways to spend money.  It’s pretty easy, and all you have to do is briefly state your desire for the city to fund bus routes, sidewalks, bike routes, trails, or whatever else you want to see built.

Monday, January 26, 6:00 p.m. – North
Northland Neighborhoods, 3015 Vivion Road(map)
Tue, January 27, 6:00 p.m. – Central
Gregg-Klice Community Center at 18th & Vine, 1600 East 17th Terrace (map)
Wed, January 28, 6:00 p.m. – South
Baptiste Education Center, 5401 East 103rd Street (map)

KCP&L is patting themselves on the back with their announcement of a new green office campus in south Kansas City.  The facility will be LEED certified and feature lots sustainible energy features.  Unfortunately, the new campus’ green credentials fall very short in one important area: transportation.

The semi-rural area at I-470 and Raytown Road is a highly auto-dependent location with no bus service.  The nearest bus stop is two miles away, and the connecting streets do not have sidewalks. It is in stark contrast to the transit-rich location of KCP&L’s headquarters at 12th and Main in Downtown. Can KCP&L really claim to be building a green campus when the employees that work there will be dependent on the automobile to get to work?  Do you think KCP&L will be buying carbon offsets to remediate the impact of employees’ car commuting?

This is one more example of how the sustainability conversation in Kansas City often leaves out the transportation piece.  And that is a problem because transportation contributes more than a third of our greenhouse gas emissions. The metro area’s grand vision of being “America’s Green Region” will never be attainable until we start putting transportation’s environmental impact at the top of the agenda.

Business Journal: KCP&L buys 83 acres for new campus

KCP&L Press Release


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Our pledge campaign has done very well! We have pledges from 380 individuals, families and clubs for a total of $22,121. That is an average of more than $58.00 per pledge. I want to thank everyone for their support!

Continue reading ‘People on Paseo Update’ »

Update: Thanks to almost 50 people who sent emails in supporting of funding trail projects in KCMO!

Please take a few minutes to voice your support for more trails in Kansas City. The city is considering requests to fund three different trail projects, and they need to hear from Kansas Citians who want them to do it. There are two new trails in the Northland, and in important connection between the Trolley Track and Indian Creek Trails in the south.

Find our more and send a quick email.