Transit Action Network

Advocates for Improved and Expanded Transit in the Kansas City Region.

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It’s Time For Regional Discussion Of Transit

Posted by Transit Action Network on May 24, 2012

Transit Action Network doesn’t usually reply to items in the press, but we think Steve Rose’s column in yesterday’s Kansas City Star warrants a response.

The column, “Talk of Regional Transit Is Just Wasted Breath,” bears reading, even though we find it quite disappointing.

“Wasted breath?” Really?Johnson County, the richest and most populous county in Kansas, could find itself without a meaningful transit system of any kind in the next couple of years, falling behind Wichita and Topeka.  Yet instead of expressing concern, Mr. Rose dredges up 30-year-old biases and frames the current transit situation as Johnson County against the City of Kansas City. That involves a misconception: KCATA was created by the two states and Congress, and is independent of Kansas City.  Lacking taxing authority of its own, it provides transit service under contract with nearly a dozen municipalities.  Kansas City happens to contract for the most service.

Describing the transit cutbacks that Johnson County seems poised to impose on its citizens, Mr. Rose writes:

Where [Johnson County Transit Director] Alice [Amrein] is unrealistic is she told me she is contemplating recommending to the county commissioners that, along with the cutbacks, it may be worthwhile to contract some routes with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, otherwise known as the ATA.

Furthermore, Steve Klika, a member of the Johnson County Transportation Council and a representative on the ATA board, was reported in The Star [Mike Hendricks, May 13, "Deep cuts could mean drastic changes for The Jo bus system] as saying, “The only way transit is going to succeed in Kansas City is if it’s regionalized.”

These statements attributed to Ms. Amrein and Mr. Klika are not at all unreasonable. Indeed, prudence indicates that all options be explored. Mr. Rose goes on to quote Johnson County Commission Chairman Ed Eilert as saying, ““We would not turn over any funds to ATA. … Furthermore, we would not give up funding or operational control.”

Nobody is suggesting that. If KCATA were to operate (or even manage the operation of) transit routes in Johnson County it would be under a contract resulting from a competitive bidding process involving other potential transit operators.  That hardly constitutes “turning over” funds to KCATA, and it’s hardly a novel idea. In fact, the possibility of JCT once again contracting with KCATA has been under consideration for years, and KCATA has submitted bids to operate Johnson County transit routes as recently as just a couple of years ago. JCT elected to stay with its current contractor, First Transit.

Furthermore, Mr. Rose (and Mr. Eilert) might not be aware that KCATA already performs some basic transit support services under contract to Johnson County Transit.  These include operation of a Regional Transit Information Call Center and maintenance of a number of bus shelters and other facilities. The two agencies are currently working together to get basic information about The JO’s routes and schedules posted at key stops in Kansas City, and KCATA now accepts monthly passes issued by The JO on nearly all Metro routes including MAX.

Mr. Rose then quotes KCATA Board of Commissioners Chairman Robbie Makinen as saying, “I consider this a real opportunity to rekindle the seamless, regional transit discussion.”

Discussion? That makes perfect sense to us. We don’t know what Mr. Rose thinks seamless regional transit is, but we think it means transit that’s easier to understand and use.  That’s important not just in Jackson and Wyandotte counties, but even for Johnson County because thousands of people hold low-paying service jobs in Johnson County but can’t afford to live there. Others travel there to shop or pursue educational, recreational, cultural, and other opportunities.

Improving and expanding public transit service in the Kansas City region is Transit Action Network’s purpose for being. To accomplish this goal we need informed discussion of the current situation. Bringing up perceptions of how things may have been 30 years ago is simply not helpful.

Mr. Rose’s column could be just the thing that’s been needed to re-ignite serious dialog among public officials of the region to move us toward a public transit system that seamlessly serves the region’s citizens. If it does, then we’ll be among the first to say, “Thank you, Mr. Rose.”

Posted in Local Transit Issues, Regional Transit Issue | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

High Cost Combined with Low Ridership and Insignificant Time-Savings Hurts Rail in the Commuter Corridors Study

Posted by Transit Action Network on May 8, 2012

A lot of factors go into making a good transit project.  Most people will gladly tell you they prefer trains to buses. However, when ridership numbers, time savings and costs factors come into the picture, reality hits.  Are the ridership numbers sufficient to justify the cost? Does the project actually save commuters time? Will the project qualify for federal funds to help pay for such an expensive project?  How much would it require in local taxes?

Open House #3 April 24 @ St Paul’s School of Theology

The Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis (JCCCAA) is beginning to address some of these questions. The project team had its third series of open house meetings April 24-26. (See the Open House Display boards).  One more series is planned.

This open house provided the first look at quantitative results for the current commuter corridor study. The study is not complete and some of the numbers will change.

Some additional information is needed to understand the following information from the open house.

  1. The ridership numbers and travel time are forecasts for 2035. These are the numbers you can expect to see in 23 years.
  2. The dollar figures are for 2012.
  3. The model for forecasting congestion on I-70 only indicates an additional 3-5 minutes for travel time in 2035 over travel times today. The travel time for a car was not provided for comparison.

After evaluating the information from the open house, Transit Action Network’s preliminary conclusion is that, in all probability, none of the fixed guideway alternatives would qualify for federal funding due to the relatively high cost for the low ridership and the insignificant amount of time saved. The FTA uses these factors to measure cost-effectiveness. Of course, the numbers are being revised, but considerable improvements would be needed to change this assessment. Both of the commuter rail lines plus the Rock Island streetcar line and the Rock Island Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) alternatives are probably not cost-effective enough to receive capital funds for construction from the FTA.

A. I-70 Corridor from Oak Grove – Highlights

There are only two alternatives left in this corridor and they are basically the same as were studied in a 2007 Alternatives Analysis. Summary of 2007 I-70 Commuter Corridor AA

 EAST I-70 Corridor

Daily ridership by 2035

Total Capital Cost in millions

Total capital cost per rider based on annual ridership (260 days)

Travel time to 10th and Main from

Travel time in Minutes in 2035

Annual operating cost in millions

Express Bus

600

$35-$39

$237

Oak Grove

59

$3.6

DMU

1,150-2,800

$480-$600

$742-$1806

Oak Grove

61

$10.7
  1. One choice is an enhanced version of today’s highway express bus with more comfortable over-the-road coaches and significantly more service. In 2007 the recommendation was to improve the Express Buses. Compared to the 1,500 riders projected in the 2007 study, the 600 daily riders in the current study looks very low.

    Click to Enlarge I-70 corridor

  2. The second choice is a commuter train (Diesel Multiple Unit or DMU) that stays on the Kansas City Southern rail line toward the Northern Industrial District and then turns west and finishes at Third and Grand. There is a new alignment which is an improvement over the alignment in the 2007 study. There is a narrow strip of land owned by Kansas City, north of Cliff Drive by Kessler Park, that could be used instead of going through a rail yard. However, maximum daily ridership last time was 1,425 and right now this project is showing 1,150-2,800 daily riders. These ridership numbers are not significantly improved considering the project capital cost in 2007 was $102.8-168.9 million. More money is being projected for track improvements, which would increase the train speed and decrease the travel time.
  3. There is not a significant time savings for commuters using the train. The estimated time to 10th and Main from Oak Grove using the Express Bus is 59 minutes and getting to 10th and Main using the DMU plus a transfer to the streetcar is 61 minutes.

B. The Rock Island Corridor – Highlights

Four alternatives are still being considered, but they are not comparable situations.

SE corridor

Rock Island line

Daily ridership by 2035

Total Capital Cost in millions

Total capital cost per rider based on annual ridership (260 days)

Travel time to 10th and Main from

Travel time in Minutes in 2035

Annual operating cost in millions

Express Bus starts in Pleasant Hill

350

$35-$39

$407

Pleasant Hill

63rd and Raytown Road

60

48

$3.6

DMU starts in Pleasant Hill

500

$326-$413

$2,846

Pleasant Hill

65

$9.5

BRT Starts in Lee’s Summit

500

$230-$283

$1,962

63rd and Raytown Road

54

$3.2

SE Urban Corridor

Enhanced streetcar starts at 63rd street and Raytown road

1,850-2,700

$402-$538

$670-$977

63rd and Raytown Road

50

$6.1
  1. Only the Enhanced Express Bus and the Diesel Multiple Unit go to Pleasant Hill.

    Click to Enlarge SE Rock island Corridor

  2. The Express Bus is an enhanced version of today’s highway express bus with better coaches and significantly more service.
  3. The DMU travels on the Rock Island Line, then continues north toward the Northern Industrial District. North of St. John Avenue it merges with the I-70 corridor KCS line and the two lines share a common segment into Third and Grand. The cost for this line does not include the common rail section since the Rock Island DMU line would only be built if the I-70 DMU line were built.
  4. The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) only goes to Lee’s Summit. It uses a new paved busway on the Rock Island line to the Sports Complex and then a fixed guideway (the two middle lanes of traffic get barriers to segregate the bus from other traffic) is built on Stadium Drive and Linwood Blvd. At Bruce R. Watkins Drive (Highway 71) it uses the freeway to get into Downtown.
  5. The Enhanced Streetcar is not really part of the commuter corridors since it has been shortened to start at 63rd Street and Raytown Road, which makes it more of an urban corridor route. The streetcar goes down Linwood Blvd in a fixed guideway (the two middle lanes of traffic get barriers to segregate the streetcar from other traffic). At Main Street it would operate in mixed traffic and turn north to meet the proposed Downtown Streetcar line at Pershing.  MARC’s Smart Moves plan consists of two types of corridors – urban corridors that serve the urban core and commuter corridors, which bring people into the city from the suburbs. In fact, the significantly larger ridership numbers projected for this “enhanced streetcar” alternative are from people in the urban core. The streetcar has significantly more riders than the BRT even though they both go down Linwood since the bulk of the streetcar ridership happens west of Highway 71 after the BRT turns north.  Because the streetcar makes several stops along Linwood and functions like an urban streetcar corridor, this alternative does not appear to serve suburban commuters very well.
  6. This is the first AA that has been done in the Rock Island commuter corridor so it is interesting to see such low ridership numbers.

    Open House #3 April 25 @ John Knox Village

  • Express bus – 350; DMU – 500; Bus Rapid Transit – 500. These ridership numbers are breathtakingly low and don’t warrant any rail investment. Even if the study increases the numbers they aren’t going to go up nearly enough to justify the cost of rail. The low ridership projections for the DMU in the Rock island corridor compared to the I-70 corridor is partly because this line doesn’t go through the main population centers of these cities and a lot of the route goes through industrial areas.

For commuters in the Southeast Corridor there are two bus possibilities:  Enhanced Express Bus from Pleasant Hill or Bus Rapid Transit from Lee’s Summit.

  1. To compare travel time between the two buses, look at the time from Raytown Road. The BRT time to 10th and Main is 54 minutes and the express bus from that location is 48 minutes. So the express bus is faster over the same distance.
  2. The Express Bus costs $35-39 million, while the BRT would entail paving the Rock Island line and establishing a fixed guideway on Linwood for a total of $230-283 million. Is the additional cost worth it for a slower travel time and only a few more people?

What about the Rock Island Streetcar? Even though the ridership is better than the other alternatives in this corridor, it is far too low for the cost.

To put this streetcar in perspective, compare it to the Downtown Streetcar project currently being planned.

Streetcar

Daily Ridership by 2035

Total Capital Cost in millions

Capital Cost per Rider-Total Capital Cost Divided by Annual Ridership based on 260 days. (JCCCAA method)

2 mile Downtown Streetcar

6,000

$101

$65

12 mile Rock Island Streetcar

1,850-2,700

$402-$538

$670-$977

 

Financing Transit in Jackson County

Once transit alternatives are selected for these corridors — i.e., once a “Locally Preferred Alternative” or LPA is determined, local funding has to be obtained.  This is true whether there is a federal contribution to the project or not.

Revenue Source

Uses

Rate/Method

Estimated Amount

Jackson County Sales Tax

Operating and Capital

1-cent sales tax (maximum)

$80 million annually

Jackson County Property tax

Operating and Capital

One mill

$82,500 annually

Farebox revenue

Operating

Fares

Typically 20% of operating costs

Federal Funding

Capital

5309 program for either New Starts (projects > $250 Million) or Bus and Bus Facilities

New Starts 30-50% of construction costs or Bus and Bus Facilities 80 %

Jackson County has special taxing authority allowing voters to approve up to a 1-cent sales tax for transit, which would collect about $80 million annually. Jackson County has significant transit needs, especially in eastern Jackson County.  Not only does commuter transit need to be improved and expanded, but transit is needed to get to other activity centers such as jobs, education, medical facilities, shopping and entertainment in areas other than downtown. (Only 14% of the region’s jobs are currently in the CBD).

Although a property tax is a possible funding source, it doesn’t raise much money.

TAN realizes the study isn’t finished and there will be changes, but the total annual cost is important to understand Jackson County’s ability to provide transit. The following numbers are based on the information presented at the April open house. We will re-do our analysis when adjusted numbers become available.

Estimated Rail and Fixed Guideway Annual Costs

Fixed guideways being studied in two corridors

TAN’s estimate of annualized capital debt service for rail (@4% interest for 25 years) in millions

Annual operating cost in millions

Total annual cost in millions

I-70 corridor DMU

$29-38

$11

$40-49

Rock Island DMU

$21-26

$10

$31-36

Rock island BRT

$15-18

$3

$18-21

SE Corridor streetcar

$29-34

$6

$35-40

Very preliminary conclusions:

Open House #3 April 24 @ John Knox Village

  1. Without federal assistance, Jackson County cannot pay for DMU rail lines in three Corridors. Study of a third corridor, the Highway 71 corridor to Grandview, is just getting under way.  It is possible that the annual costs for the DMUs in the first two corridors (as high as $49MM plus $36MM) could use up more than the 1-cent sales tax ($80 million annually) with nothing left to provide supporting bus services, much less transit to other parts of the county.
  2. Without significant federal funding, any fixed guideway options still being considered would be difficult to justify considering all the other transit needs and issues. The costs would be further complicated with a fixed guideway option in the Grandview corridor.
  3. Voters in Kansas City might object to paying a full 1-cent sales tax on commuter rail from eastern Jackson County without much benefit to taxpayers living within the City. In other words, for a transit tax to pass county-wide, there would have to be something in the package for Kansas City.
  4. Since rail projects are so expensive, most cities seek federal funding to help build projects. The FTA has only been funding large projects with a cost-effectiveness rating of at least Medium. Once a  project qualifies to be considered for federal funding, it still has to compete against other cities and recently the FTA has only been covering 30-50% of the cost of rail projects selected for funding. For perspective look at the FTA current Capital Investment Program Project Profiles.

Sample of FTA Current Commuter Rail Projects

Total project capital cost in millions

Projected Weekday ridership

Denver-Eagle Commuter Rail

$2,043.14

57,300

Orlando-Central Florida Commuter Rail Transit-Initial operating segment

$357.23

7,400

Weber County to Salt Lake Commuter Rail

$611.68

11,800

Providence, RI South County Commuter Rail (extension)

$49.15

3,500

Compare to the commuter rail being studied in Jackson County

I-70 DMU

$480-600

1,150-2,800

Rock Island DMU

$326-413(doesn’t include cost of common segment)

500

Additional very preliminary conclusions:

  1. The two DMU rail lines could cost a billion dollars to build (using high-end estimates of  $600MM plus $413MM).
  2. The capital and operating costs for the Enhanced Express Buses could be covered without federal funding, although federal dollars are much easier to get for this use. Bus projects can usually be funded without issuing bonds. Bonds were not needed for the Troost and Main Street MAX lines. The FTA often pays up to 80% of the capital cost for major improvements to bus systems. Using such an approach, there would be money for other transit services in Jackson County, even without using the full 1-cent sales tax.
  3. Jackson County could fund express buses plus a robust transit system to serve other needs in the county at the same time.
  4. TAN expects that a reasonable allocation of any county transit tax would have to clearly provide a transit benefit in the City of Kansas City. Population and sales tax revenue in Jackson County are about evenly split between Kansas City and the remainder of the county.

Summary

Open House #3 April 25 @ John Knox Village

The purpose of performing an Alternatives Analysis is to find the best transit solution to seek federal funds. Federal funds are particularly important when proposing a rail project since they are so expensive. Sometimes good plans don’t get federal funding because of intense competition, but if a plan doesn’t qualify for federal funds because it isn’t cost effective, then it probably should not be built.  Sometimes cities fund a very short 1-2 mile starter rail line but rarely are long rail lines successfully funded with only local money.

Are Jackson County taxpayers prepared to pay for major transit plans that are not sufficiently cost-effective to qualify for federal funding? We doubt it.

An out-of-town transit consultant spoke at the MARC Transit committee when the two current rail studies started. He advised people to remember that serious rail transit is about the need to move a lot of people. Non-serious rail transit is about wanting to have a train.

Transit consultants in Kansas City will tell you when they do major commuter rail studies in other cities they usually come upon a robust bus transit system that will not be able to efficiently meet demand in the next few years and needs the additional capacity that rail provides. When they come to Kansas City to study rail, no such demand exists. We don’t even have a transit system in eastern Jackson County let alone one that is bursting at the seams and needs to be upgraded to rail.

Bottom line: What is the best use of our current or potentially available public money? Where do we get the biggest transit bang for our buck? Transit Action Network is very pro-rail, but we are also realistic and cost conscious. We want to see a significant transit improvement emerge from this study, and we’re waiting for the next wave of information and for the Locally Preferred Alternative to be determined. We hope the decision will reflect the information gained from spending nearly three years and $2 million dollars studying commuter options to find the best solution for the transit needs in Jackson County. Every major metropolitan region needs a good transit system that is appropriate for the community.

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KCATA Comment Period on July Route Changes Closes April 23

Posted by Transit Action Network on April 20, 2012

KCATA recently began implementing service changes based on the Comprehensive Service Analysis completed in 2011. KCATA received over 700 comments on proposed route changes for 55 routes, and 24 route changes were modified based on public input.

Changes have been implemented on a few routes, and changes on 21 additional routes will take effect in July.  Additional changes are scheduled for October and next January. See the Implementation Schedule.

Review the Preliminary Schedules.

KCATA asks customers to submit comments or questions on the preliminary schedules no later than April 23, using any of the following methods:

Posted in Action, Local Transit Issues | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Don’t Miss Open House #3 – Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis

Posted by Transit Action Network on April 13, 2012

Please evaluate the remaining alternatives and let the project team know your preferences based on the information currently available. Additional detailed information should be available, including a range of costs, ridership numbers, travel times and potential financing options. The study is not complete and your input is valuable. The project consultants expect to complete the study in early summer.

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Commuter Corridors Study Narrows Field of Alternatives

Posted by Transit Action Network on April 2, 2012

The  Stakeholders Advisory Panel for the Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis (JCCCAA) met March 14. Parsons Brinckerhoff, the lead project consultants,updated information about the I-70 Corridor and the Rock Island Corridor. The Grandview corridor was not discussed. Potential alternatives for the Grandview corridor will be affected by the outcome of the Alternatives Analysis for the I-70 and Rock Island corridors.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) suggests the alternatives be evaluated using five primary perspectives (Stakeholder’s packet Nov 2011)

  • Effectiveness measures assess the extent to which the alternatives address the stated needs in the corridor.
  • Cost-effectiveness measures assess the extent to which the costs of the alternatives, both capital and operating, are commensurate with their anticipated benefits.
  • Feasibility measures the financial and technical feasibility of the alternatives. Financial measures assess the extent to which funding for the construction and operation of each alternative is considered to be readily available. Technical feasibility assesses potential engineering challenges or restrictions that could limit the viability of an alternative.
  • Impacts assess the extent to which the alternatives could present potential environmental and traffic issues that could be fatal flaws or otherwise influence the selection of a preferred alternative.
  • Equity assesses the extent to which an alternative’s costs and benefits are distributed fairly across different population groups

The consultants identified performance on the Common Segment, the section of the alignment where the two corridors come together and share the street or rail line, as a deciding factor in this level of evaluation.

Consultants evaluated the common segment for five items touching on three of the FTA perspectives.

Click To Enlarge

The “Poor” result in the common segment for Full Regional Rail is understandable if you consider the implications of running a large DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) for miles on city streets and through neighborhoods. (See video  Discussion About The Regional Rail Alternative for the JCCCAA)  The DMU has the ability to run on freight lines as well as streets.

Last year TAN identified the Common Segment as the most challenging issue for the Regional Rail alternative. Once the rail leaves segregated rights-of-way and moves onto city streets many problems arise. (See Consultants Face Big Challenge Studying Regional Rapid Rail ).

For these criteria, TSM (Transportation Systems Management), which includes Enhanced Express Buses, and the BRT options look the best. However, there are additional criteria to be evaluated.

Eliminated

Full Regional Rail using a DMU on Truman Road or the Trench Embankment is eliminated.

Additional alternatives eliminated

All Rock Island Corridor Streetcar or BRT combinations with a DMU on the I-70 Corridor – These alternatives all require a forced transfer at the Truman Sports Complex. (See video about all eight combinations  Enhanced Streetcar/DMU/BRT Combinations Are Discussed). This issue affects four of the eight combination alternatives. (See combinations marked in yellow on  JCCCAA Modal Combinations Update March 2012)

Alternative at risk

The Enhanced Streetcar via Truman Road – Although in the common segment analysis the Streetcar via Linwood and the Streetcar via Truman Road look the same, the consultants said additional analysis suggests Linwood is a better choice than Truman Road. In the presentation, only the Linwood alignment is advanced to the next level of analysis at this point. (See combination marked in blue on JCCCAA Modal Combinations Update March 2012)

See Consultants JCCC AA March 2012 SAP Presentation. TSM including Enhanced Express Buses is included in the alternatives advancing for further evaluation although it isn’t listed on Slide 14.

Another Version of Rail Under Consideration

Since all of the original commuter rail alternatives using a DMU have been eliminated, another version of commuter rail that doesn’t use city streets or transfer at the Sports Complex is being re-considered.

In Tier One of the study the consultants looked at an alternative that kept the DMU on rail lines and went through the rail yard in the Northern Industrial District by the Missouri River before heading up to the River Market to Third St. and Grand Avenue.

This alternative was initially screened out in the Tier One screening because:

  • “This alignment has limited opportunity for stations, operates in a highly industrial area and constrained railroad environment. It is not as conducive to satisfying the project’s Purpose and Need as other options. “ (Stakeholder’s packet Nov 2011)

In 2007 this alignment, which goes through the Knoche rail yard, was studied for the I-70 corridor and rejected in the near term for commuter rail. Since then, significant changes have been made to that yard making it unsuitable for commuter rail. However, the Neff rail yard, which is slightly south of the Knoche rail yard, is being investigated for feasibility. If the consultants decide this alternative has potential they will add it for a Tier Two level analysis.

In this scenario, the rail alignment would stay on the Rock Island and KCS lines and come together in the vicinity of Rock Creek Junction, east of the rail yard. There are considerable challenges for this alignment including getting through the rail junction and the rail yard.

After discussions with both the consultant and MARC, here is the current situation:

Alternatives Eliminated

  • DMU using Trench or Trench Embankment
  • DMU on Truman Road (Full Regional Rail)
  • Alternatives that force a transfer outside of CBD (Central Business District

Alternative with significant challenges

  • Enhanced Streetcar via Truman Road

Alternatives advancing for further evaluation

  • TSM, including Enhanced Express Bus
  • Enhanced Streetcar via Linwood
  • BRT
  • Modal Combinations

Alternative receiving renewed consideration

  • DMU to River Market via rail yard (KCS and Rock Island)

Alternatives that are advanced in the study will go through further analysis such as ridership numbers, financial feasibility, constructability and economic development potential. Although everyone is impatient to get concrete numbers to compare alternatives, a study of this size would normally take a couple of years to complete and this study is being squeezed into a very short time frame. The consultants were only chosen in April of last year.

Project leader Shawn Dikes said Parsons Brinckerhoff is working to create a complete transit package, which would consist of the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) from this study as well as improved transit service to support the LPA. TAN feels it is extremely important to construct a complete transit package to take to the voters.

Besides the study update at the Stakeholders Advisory Panel meeting, there was a short talk by former Congressman Martin Frost about the Transportation Bill being debated in Congress.  He believes the final version will be similar to previous transportation bills, although the House Speaker is having a hard time getting his party to agree to a version that can pass the House. Michael Zuhl, a consultant with R&R Partners, gave a short talk about the transit education campaign for Jackson County.

The consultant team is pulling out all the stops to find the best alternative for commuters in Jackson County. They are trying multiple combinations of vehicles and lots of alternative alignments. Jackson County should feel comfortable that the process is working well and it should be happy to go to the voters with the Locally Preferred Alternative resulting from this study.

Proposed schedule

The Project Team met March 23 and County Executive Mike Sanders and Mayor Sly James went to Washington, D.C. to meet with officials about the transit initiatives underway. This level of cooperation and coordinated transit effort is unprecedented in our region.

Mid-April Stakeholder Advisory Panel

Late April – Public Workshop

4/27 Project Partnership Team meeting

5/25 Project Partnership Team Meeting

May/June – Public Workshop

Summer – Announcement of LPA

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Great Bargain for JCT Commuters and A Step Forward for Seamless Transit

Posted by Transit Action Network on March 15, 2012

Two significant transit decisions are about to be implemented.

1.  Johnson County Transit (JCT) has decided to sell its monthly pass through its website.  The reported price is $67 (plus a small service fee), and sales begin in April for a May 1, 2012 start date. The JO Store

The JO will continue to sell its monthly pass to employers for re-sale to their employees.  Employers will continue to pay $63 per pass, and they generally discount the pass to their employees.

Availability of the monthly pass will be a significant cost saving for Johnson County commuters whose employers don’t sell passes.  Such commuters currently have to pay cash fares ($2.00 each way, or $88 for a 22-workday month), or use 10-ride passes ($18.00 for 10 rides, or $79.20 for a 22-workday month).

 2.  Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) will accept the JCT monthly pass on all regular Metro buses (excluding premium-priced commuter routes). KCATA and JCT will allocate revenue from the JCT pass between themselves based on usage.  JCT monthly passes will be accepted on Metro buses beginning May 1, 2012.

Anyone can purchase the JCT monthly pass online to use on either system.

TAN advocates have worked for Seamless Transit for many years, and this development is clearly a step in the right direction.

The advantage to Johnson County residents is obvious: they can use Metro buses during the day for lunch trips or errands, or to get closer to home (e.g. to the Plaza or Waldo) before calling a family member, a friend, or a cab when they work late.  What’s more, Johnson County riders can drive to a Missouri location (such as Waldo) and use Metro buses to reach Missouri attractions on weekends.  (A free ride on a Metro bus compares favorably with a $30 parking fee for a Sprint Arena event.)

Missouri and Wyandotte County residents who also need to use The JO will have the option of purchasing the JCT monthly pass.  These riders will need to evaluate whether their savings will justify the higher up-front cost of the JCT monthly pass.  Riders who use transit only for commuting now pay $3.50 per day in cash fares ($1.50 going to work, $2.00 to return), or $77 per 22-workday month.  A rider who needs to be able to use Metro buses all week as well as commute to Johnson County currently pays $94 for a 22-workday month ($50 Metro pass plus $44 in cash fares on The JO).

Although JCT and KCATA have accepted each other’s transfers for several years, neither system has accepted the monthly bus pass of the other system until now.  The JCT monthly pass will be accepted on Metro buses but the Metro $50 monthly pass will not be accepted on JCT buses, mainly due to the large price difference. (Metro pass users may not know that they can ask for “a transfer to The JO” when they board.  KCATA normally does not issue transfers to its monthly pass users.)

The JCT monthly pass sale through their website and KCATA acceptance of the JCT monthly pass are positive steps toward Seamless Transit. Well over 500 JCT monthly pass holders will get automatic access to the extensive (7 days a week, 20 hours per day, service to five counties) Metro system at no additional cost.

Due to the large fare differential between the two systems and limited service provided by JCT, it will be interesting to track the sales numbers for the JCT monthly pass to see:

  • how many passes are sold to riders outside of Johnson County
  • what percentage of morning commuters from Kansas City to Johnson County use the JCT monthly pass (this direction is considered a reverse commute).

Transit Action Network welcomes a victory for Seamless Transit and will work to make sure that:

  • Metro riders are aware of their new option for access to The JO
  • JO riders make good use of their new access to the Metro system beginning May 1.

Posted in Local Transit Issues, Regional Transit Issue, Seamless Transit | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Enhanced Streetcar/DMU/BRT Combinations Are Discussed

Posted by Transit Action Network on February 24, 2012

The Partnership Team and consultants added eight additional alternatives to the Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis (JCCCAA).  In the final interview of this series, Lisa Koch, senior planner with the lead consulting team Parsons Brinckerhoff, discusses these alternatives which include various combinations of three transit modes; Enhanced Streetcar, Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Maps of all the combinations are available below.

Lisa also describes the traffic control elements being planned for an Enhanced Streetcar to travel on the streets and how these elements differ from the ones used by the Regional Rail DMU alternative discussed in the previous interview.

For a closer look at the display board Lisa uses during the interview, see JCCCAA display-board-nov 2011 or print page 11 of the second open house display boards. JCCCAA-open-house-display-boards-nov 2011

Summary of JCCCAA Streetcar/DMU/BRT combinations being studied

Click to enlarge

Maps of all the Streetcar/DMU/BRT Combinations

A. Enhanced Streetcar/DMU – Linwood Alternative

B. Enhanced Streetcar (ALL) – Linwood Alternative

C. Enhanced Streetcar/DMU – Truman Road Alternative

D. Enhanced Streetcar (ALL) – Truman Road Alternative

E. BRT/DMU – Linwood Alternative

F. BRT (ALL) – LinwoodAlternative

G. BRT/DMU – Truman Road Alternative

H. BRT (ALL) – Truman Road Alternative

An alternatives analysis requires a substantial amount of work to evaluate the possible transit solutions for a corridor. The analysis includes a complex comparison process to decide which alternative is the best fit for our region at this time. Lisa has agreed to visit with TAN again to update us on status of the study and provide insight into the FTA process used to rate the alternatives.

TAN appreciates Tom Gerend of MARC and Lisa Koch of Parsons Brinckerhoff, along with Shockey Consulting and TranSystems, for making all of this information available to our viewers.

The next open house is March 13 -15 going to be re-scheduled.

Traffic Control Elements for RAIL on Streets in the JCCCAA

Link to the first interview: MARC And Parsons Brinckerhoff Discuss The Current Status Of The Commuter Corridors Altenatives Analysis

Link to the second interview: Parsons Brinckerhoff Consultant Discusses Three Alternatives In The JCCCAA

Link to the third interview: Discussion About The Regional Rail Alternative for the JCCCAA

Project website:  KCSmartMoves

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Discussion About The Regional Rail Alternative for the JCCCAA

Posted by Transit Action Network on February 20, 2012

In the third of our four interviews, Lisa Koch, senior planner with Parsons Brinckerhoff, discusses the Regional Rail alternatives for the Southeast Corridor (the unused Rock Island line through Raytown and Lee’s Summit) and the Eastern I-70 Corridor (the underutilized Kansas City Southern line through Blue Springs).

Diesel Multiple Unit -DMU

Lisa describes the routes being considered, along with traffic control elements that would be required by the Federal Railroad Administration for a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train to use new rail on the streets of Kansas City and Independence to reach a commuter rail terminal in the Freight House District, north of Union Station.

For a closer look at the display board Lisa uses during the interview, see JCCCAA display-board-nov2011 or print page 11 of the second open house display boards. JCCCAA-Open-House-Display-Boards-Nov2011


Following is the proposed map for the Regional Rail system being studied in the Southeastern and Eastern Corridors of Jackson County. MP (Mile Point) is the distance in miles from Union Station.

Click To Enlarge


Details of all the alternatives are changing as the study continues.

The Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis is scheduled for completion in late Spring 2012.

Our fourth interview, covering combinations of streetcars, DMU and BRT, will be posted later this week.

Link to the first interview: MARC And Parsons Brinckerhoff Discuss The Current Status Of The Commuter Corridors Altenatives Analysis

Link to the second interview: Parsons Brinckerhoff Consultant Discusses Three Alternatives In The JCCCAA

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Parsons Brinckerhoff Consultant Discusses Three Alternatives In The JCCCAA

Posted by Transit Action Network on February 17, 2012

Lisa Koch, a senior planner with the lead consulting firm for the study, Parsons Brinckerhoff,  discusses three of the alternatives being studied in the Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis (JCCCAA) with Transit Action Network.

No Build

Transportation Systems Management

Enhanced Express Bus (part of TSM)

Lisa also describes the travel demand model used to estimate ridership for each mode in the study’s forecast year of 2035.

The study is in the second phase, called Tier Two, where a detailed analysis of the remaining alternatives is conducted and the alternatives are narrowed down to come up with a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). The study is scheduled to be completed in late Spring 2012.

This map is the current proposed map of the Enhanced Express Bus System. It has different colors to represent the different express bus services being considered. Some services are new. PR stands for Park and Ride lots. The map is subject to change.

In 2007 there was an I-70 Commuter Corridor Alternatives Analysis (AA).  In the Summary Report the consultant’s near-term recommendation was to improve the Express Bus system. The AA also studied the underutilized Kansas City Southern (KCS) Railroad line. In that study, the KCS line traveled to the Knoche Rail Yard and then new rail  was needed from there (near the Missouri River) up to Third St. and Grand.  In another variation the KCS line connected to the Trench, the Kansas City Terminal Railroad tracks that run past Union Station. Neither of those rail alternatives were recommended in 2007 and both of those options were eliminated from the current study in the Tier One evaluation.

Link to the first interview: MARC And Parsons Brinckerhoff Discuss The Current Status Of The Commuter Corridors Altenatives Analysis

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MARC And Parsons Brinckerhoff Discuss The Current Status Of The Commuter Corridors Altenatives Analysis

Posted by Transit Action Network on February 15, 2012

Last week Transit Action Network sat down with Tom Gerend, Assistant Director of Transportation and Project Manager at Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), and Lisa Koch, Senior Planner with Parsons Brinckerhoff,  in a series of four video interviews to discuss the Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis currently underway in Jackson County.

MARC is on the Partnership Team overseeing the study and Parsons Brinckerhoff is the lead consulting firm conducting the study.

Transit Action Network believes this is a good time to bring everyone up to date since the last public open house was the end of November 2011. The next open house won’t be held until after the Stakeholders Advisory Panel on March 6. (update-the third open house will be March 13-15 rescheduled)

These interviews provide background on the study as well as the current information about the three corridors and the multitude of alternatives being studied.

Keep in mind that none of the alternatives have been chosen to implement at this point and the situation changes as new information becomes available and decisions are made. Since the last open house, more analysis has been done and another alternative has been eliminated. Consultants and engineers continue to look for the best solutions to challenges presented by the options.

Join us on this first interview with Tom for an introduction to the series and background on the study.

The study website is KCSmartMoves.org

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Public Budget Hearings – Thank KC City Council for Restoring Funding to Public Transit

Posted by Transit Action Network on January 30, 2012

Kansas City has scheduled their annual public meetings on the budget. If you attend and testify at one of these meetings, consider thanking the Council for passing Ordinance 100951 to restore funding to public transit. This Ordinance, which was passed in December 2010, gives KCATA at least 95% of the revenue from the ½ cent Transportation Sales Tax (after TIF and City administration fees) . The ordinance has a phase in period. The city has to reach the 95% mark by May 1, 2014. When Transit Action Network started working on the ordinance, the KCATA was only going to receive $19.9 million from this fund. In the upcoming budget being discussed for 2012-2013, the city has budgeted $23.5 million for KCATA or 82% of the available money. Reaching the 95% mark will result in millions of additional dollars for public transit. TAN wants to thank everyone who joined forces with us to help get the ordinance passed. Please, remember to thank the Council.

The City of Kansas City, Missouri City Council Public Budget Hearings 2012 will be held on the following dates:

Saturday, February 4th – 4th District
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Location: KCMO Health Department, 2400 Troost Ave, KCMO 64108
(park and enter on north side of building)

Saturday, February 11th – 5th District
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Location: Southeast Community Center, 4201 East 63rd Street, KCMO 64130

Saturday, February 18th – 3rd District
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Location: Robert J. Mohart Multipurpose FOCUS Center, 3200 Wayne Ave, KCMO 64109

Wednesday, February 22nd – 2nd District
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Park Hill Education Center, 7703 N.W. Barry Road, KCMO 64153

Saturday, February 25th – 1st District
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Location: Shoal Creek Police Academy, 6801 NE Pleasant Valley Road, KCMO, 64119

Wednesday, February 29th – 6th District
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Hillcrest Community Center, 10401 Hillcrest Rd, KCMO 64134

For more information, please contact:
Susan Borge
Legislative Aide to Councilwoman Jan Marcason
4th District
(please note new phone#/email)
816 513-6517
susan.borge@kcmo.org

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Model Trains are a Great Excuse for a Transit Adventure

Posted by Transit Action Network on January 21, 2012

Model Railroad Experience

Union Station has just the thing for kids of all ages: The Model Railroad Experience.

Model Railroad Experience at Union Station

We stopped in recently for a peek and were impressed.  More than 40 trains of all the popular gauges (N, HO, S, O, and G) were running through carefully detailed cities and towns in one of the largest model railroad displays in the country.  Enter free with Union Station membership, or with a small donation (suggested $2 for adults, $1 for kids).

Model Railroad Experience is an expanded version of the Holiday Season exhibit that previously had to be reconstructed each year.  It is open daily 9:30 to 5:00.

There are other kid-friendly attractions nearby, too, both at Union Station or at Crown Center:  Science City, Kaleidoscope, Coterie Theater, ice skating at Crown Center, etc.  Coming soon to Crown Center are Lego Land (spring) and Sea Life (summer).

Fortunately, it’s easy to get to the Union Station / Crown Center area by transit:

From Johnson County – We suggest Route 672 – Midday from Johnson County Community College, Oak Park Mall, Metcalf South, or 6000 Lamar transit hub in Mission.  Arrive at Union Station shortly after 1:00 pm.  Return via one of the many afternoon commuter routes that stop on Main outside Union Station, or at Crown Center on Grand.  http://www.thejo.com/routes/672.shtml

From the Northland, take Route 142 – North Oak, which operates hourly Monday through Saturday. http://www.kcata.org/maps_schedules/routes/142_north_oak/

Model Railroad Experience at Union Station

From the south, Main Street MAX gets you there from Waldo, Brookside, the Plaza, and Midtown. http://www.kcata.org/maps_schedules/routes/mainmax/

From the southeast there’s Route 28 – Blue Ridge from Hickman Mills and Blue Ridge Crossing. http://www.kcata.org/maps_schedules/routes/28_blue_ridge/

From the east there’s Route 24 from Independence along Independence Avenue. http://www.kcata.org/maps_schedules/routes/24_independence/

Find additional transit travel options using Google Transit or call the Regional Transit Information Center, 221-0660. http://www.kcata.org/maps_schedules/trip_planner/

So get busy and plan a transit adventure to Union Station and Crown Center for the kids in our life — including the kids who are way up in double-digits.

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Public Workshop on Bus/Bike Route Planning – Jan 10

Posted by Transit Action Network on January 3, 2012

Bus and Bike

Need help finding your personal transportation routes combining buses and bikes? When is it better to wait for the next bus and when is it better ride?

Eric Bunch, Director of Education, at BikeWalkKC is offering a free public workshop to give you the skills and knowledge to plan your local bus/bike trips.

Google Trip Planner doesn’t allow a user to unlock the full potential of combining modes like bus and bike. The only way to know is by getting out the transit map and learning the routes.

The class will look at the regional bus routes and the MARC bike map and help each participant chart their commute or other transportation needs using these modes.

January 10, 6:00-8:00 PM
Tony Aguirre Community Center
2050 W. Pennway Terrace, KCMO

Link to the registration and information page:

http://bikewalkkc.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=107

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Independence Transit Committee Recommends First Transit

Posted by Transit Action Network on December 22, 2011

In a move characterized as a “new integrated transit system,” the Independence City Council Transit Committee recommended First Transit to operate their intra-city (local) routes beginning Monday, July 2, 2012.  KCATA would continue to operate inter-city routes.  Final action by the full City Council is anticipated in January 2012.

The committee’s recommendation is to:

(1) contract with KCATA to continue certain current services including inter-city and commuter bus routes (Routes 24 and 24x), paratransit service (Share-A-Fare) for inter-city and eligible intra-city trips, grant filings and FTA reporting, and regional transit information center operations

(2) contract with First Transit to provide local fixed route and deviated fixed route service, paratransit service for intra-city trips, and senior transportation service (Dial-A-Ride). First Transit is the contract operator for Johnson County Transit.

Independence says its revised transit plan will provide a 40% increase in service area, 32 additional miles of routes, and a 30 percent increase in hours of operation. Local service will be provided using specially designed new buses, tentatively branded ”IndeBus.” Waiting times between buses will increase on some routes due to extending the length of the route without adding additional buses.

Independence expects coordinated scheduling between the two systems to minimize waiting times. Fares will be the same for both systems and Independence expects to work out an agreement with KCATA so there will not be a fare impact on the riders using passes or transfers.

Still unresolved are some funding issues, including how much federal “formula” money Independence will receive as pass-through from the KCATA allocation. Independence will presumably qualify for federal funds related to routes operated by KCATA, but regulations related to employee protections under Section 13(c) of Federal Transit Law could make it difficult or even illegal to use federal formula funds for the Independence local routes (see previous article). This issue — how much federal money will be passed through to Independence – could significantly change the transit funding situation in Independence. Discussions and legal research are ongoing between and among Independence, KCATA, the FTA, the Amalgamated Transit Union, and MARC.

A publicity campaign is planned to start in April, including public meetings, route maps, publication in the Independence newsletter CityScene and information on City 7, the public access cable channel. Bus stop and schedule signs will be replaced and First Transit will work with the businesses in the new service areas for locating stops.

Although its total cost of transit service will rise slightly, Independence expects ridership to increase at least 15% with the increased route coverage. In addition, the City plans to seek grants to supplement money from its General Fund.

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Independence Ponders Transit Options

Posted by Transit Action Network on December 6, 2011

In August, 2011, Independence issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to operate their local transit routes and local para-transit service, Dial-A-Ride. The local or “intra-city” routes are currently operated by KCATA and are the routes identified by colors as well as numbers. The inter-city routes connecting Independence with Kansas City would continue to be operated by KCATA.

Independence redesigned its local routes to cover more miles and extend service hours. Of course, longer routes without adding more buses means the time between buses increases, which creates longer waiting times for riders.  So service miles and service hours may increase but service level will decrease. Independence also wants to ”brand” its buses with a unique Independence design. (Prototype of branded buses from the RFP  Inde Bus)

Several proposals were received, and in October the city staff made a preliminary recommendation to the City Council Transit Committee. They recommended First Transit over KCATA as operator for the local routes.  The Transit Committee recommendation to the full City Council is planned in December because a final decision has to be made by February 1, 2012, in order to implement the desired changes by July 1, 2012.

Transit Action Network understands and appreciates the financial realities Independence faces to maintain transit service for its residents, as well as its right to contract for the most cost-effective transit service. The Independence budget for transit comes out of general revenue. Independence does not have dedicated transit funding like Kansas City, nor do they have taxing authority from the state to even ask for a dedicated transit tax. Their ½ cent transportation sales tax is all used for streets. Like most Eastern Jackson County municipalities, Independence has been waiting for the county to get involved in funding transit.  County transit funding was the original promise of the regional “Smart Moves” transit concept nearly a decade ago.  But county funding hasn’t materialized yet, and general revenue has declined as costs continued to rise, and something had to give. Independence has assured TAN that its goal is to provide the best transit service they can.

Several snags have arisen, however. The biggest one deals with the allocation of federal “formula” funds for transit in this region. As the Congressionally created transit authority for the Kansas City region, KCATA is the federally designated recipient of federal formula funds, and that means KCATA decides how this money is to be allocated around the region. Legally they do not have to allocate any funds to municipalities that don’t contract with them, but historically KCATA has allocated funds to other operators, such as Johnson County Transit, a well as the municipalities that contract with them. The current annual federal formula fund allocation is approximately $15 million, but may decrease based on Congressional action. Independence believes it has a right to a share of this money, even if it goes with a private contractor.

Even if the KCATA Board wants to continue to allocate a share of the federal formula funds to Independence, it may be illegal if they contract with a private operator.  This issue arises because federal transit law has a section that protects transit employees who are affected by federal transit funding. If Independence changes to a private operator there could be a negative impact on public transit workers. Based on the current allocation of money, this law (Section 13(c)) could lose Independence $600,000.  All parties have their lawyers looking into the implications of Section 13(c).

Another big issue is the effect on the para-transit riders in Independence if a different operator gets the contact for the intra-city routes. TAN is concerned that para-transit users wanting to go between Independence and Kansas City would have more transfers and higher costs if KCATA does not operate the intra-city routes. If Independence para-transit riders have to use both the Independence Dial-A-Ride and KCATA Share-A-Fare services for the same trip, the cost would double from $4 for the round trip to $8. Independence City Manager Robert Heacock said that Independence could consider picking up the additional cost for para-transit riders needing to go to KCMO. At an average of 12,000 rides to the city per year, this could amount to an additional cost of $48,000 for the city, but the inconvenience for riders would still be present.

Most important, TAN has significant concerns about the impact another operator could have on all transit riders. Unless Independence gives careful attention to “seamless transit” principles, adding another transit provider could cause complexity, confusion and additional cost for riders, and that would both inhibit ridership and limit access to opportunities throughout the region, while undermining the goal of a truly regional transit system. We have discussed our concerns regarding seamless transit with elected officials including Council member Gragg, Chair of the Transit Committee, and with City staff.

What is “Seamless Transit?”  It’s the term being used in a regional effort to make transit easier to use, thereby building ridership and enabling more people to have access to opportunities throughout the region.  Seamless transit is achieved by meeting basic rider expectations and eliminating the impact of multiple transit operators on the transit experience.

Some of the seamless expectations that TAN has discussed with Independence include:

1.  A uniform fare structure, and transfer and pass reciprocity. Independence has assured TAN that they will use the same fare structure and compatible fareboxes as KCATA so that transfers and monthly passes are accepted on both systems. They have told us they could do an allocation of revenue between the two systems at the end of the month for passes, although the details haven’t been discussed, since an operator hasn’t been chosen.

2.  Good connectivity between the two systems is another concern. TAN has been told schedules will be adjusted to co-ordinate transfer locations and schedule times so inter-system connections can be made effectively.

3.  Currently riders only have to make one phone call to get transit information. They can use Google transit to do online trip planning, and with GPS on all the current buses, real-time information is becoming available via cell phone or mobile device. TAN has asked that these seamless communication features be available to Independence riders if there is a change in operators, but has not been given any reassurances .

To get more details of the planned route changes or read the minutes of the meetings visit the Independence City Council Transit Committee website

Seamless transit issues between JCT and KCATA prompted TAN to get the MARC Transit Committee to form a Seamless Transit Work Group last year. (TAN’s Seamless Transit In the Kansas City Region document) Now many of the same issues will need to be addressed with Independence if it changes operators for its intra-city routes.

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Comment on Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis and Watch Video of the Open House

Posted by Transit Action Network on December 2, 2011

The second open house for the Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis was held this week. The meetings in Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs and Kansas City, consisted of displays explaining the project, process and alternatives. Project consultants answered questions and explained the project. On Wednesday Nov 29th at the Gamber Center,  a welcome from Lee’s Summit Mayor Rhoads was followed by presentations from Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders and Project Leader Shawn Dikes of Parsons Brinckerhoff.

The project team is moving from the first stage, Tier One, to the more quantitative stage, Tier Two. Some of the original alternatives have been eliminated and two new alternatives have been added that include additional rail options.

The purpose of the open house is to gather public input. Read the open house handout explaining the alternatives that are advancing to Tier Two JCCCAA-Open-House-Handout-Nov2011, then view the display boards from the meeting for more information. JCCCAA-Open-House-Display-Boards-Nov2011

After viewing the project materials please go to the project website and make your comments.

There was an excellent turnout for the main meeting. Watch portions of the presentations on TAN’s first video.

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Open House #2 Nov 29, 30 & Dec 1- Jackson County Commuter Corridor Alternatives Analysis

Posted by Transit Action Network on November 23, 2011

Don’t miss the second open house for the Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis. There are opportunities in Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, and Kansas City to view and comment on the alternatives considered for advancement to the Tier Two Screening. There are significant changes from the first open house and some new alternatives. Study website

Tier 2 Screening: This screening ultimately will result in the selection of a single Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) defined in terms of mode and general alignment. Tier 2 Screening will evaluate the short list of full corridor alternatives at a level of detail sufficient for local decision-makers to select a LPA. The Tier 2 screening will rely on the travel demand forecasting model and limited conceptual engineering focusing on capital, operating and maintenance costs.

Invitation to JCCCAA 2nd open house

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KCATA – Public Forums On Route Recommendations November 2011

Posted by Transit Action Network on October 31, 2011

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) has service change recommendations on more than 50 Metro bus routes. They want to improve service, meet ridership demands and operate more efficiently using existing resources.

Customer participation is important in developing the final route recommendations. KCATA is hosting a series of public forums on the potential service changes to gain additional input. The forums will be an opportunity for customers to learn more about the service changes, provide comments about the proposed changes, and further discuss the recommendations one-on-one with KCATA staff. Service changes are scheduled to begin in April 2012 and will be phased in throughout 2012.

Public forum schedule: 
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Plaza KCMO Library, 4800 Main St., Cohen Center

Thursday, Nov. 10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Central KCMO Library, 14 W. 10th St., Multi-Purpose Room

Thursday, Nov. 10, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 5306 N. Oak Trafficway

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Northeast Branch KC Library, 6000 Wilson

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, 3700 Blue Parkway

Thursday, Nov. 17, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Canaan Worship Center, 5333 Bannister Rd., Fellowship Hall

Saturday, Nov. 19, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. KCATA, 1200 E. 18th St., Breen Building, Lobby

Additional information, including the recommended changes, are available on the KCATA Website. Click here to submit online comments.

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Final Open House-See Designs for State Avenue “Connex” Transit Corridor – Oct 20

Posted by Transit Action Network on October 13, 2011

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and Unified Government Transit of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kan., are hosting the final open house for the public to review the detailed improvement plans for the “Connex” transit corridor. Displays will provide information about the overall design of the corridor, plus specific plans for two new MetroCenters: Midtown KCK (47th and State Ave.) and Downtown KCK (7th and Minnesota Ave.). This major east-west route connects the city’s revitalized urban core to new development occurring in the Village West area.

Detailed plans for enhanced transit amenities and pedestrian infrastructure in the State Avenue corridor of Kansas City, Kan., will be on display.

When: 3:30–6 p.m. on Oct. 20

Where: St. Patrick Catholic Church Parish Hall, 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, KS 66112

Link to more information about the improvements on the KCATA website

The Kansas City Regional TIGER Grant is funding $10.3 million in transit improvements along State Avenue in Kansas City, Kan. The Transit Center and Corridor Transit Station Improvements are scheduled for completion 3rd quarter 2012.

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So Many Alternatives to Evaluate in Jackson County!

Posted by Transit Action Network on October 13, 2011

The Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis is studying six different alternatives to find the best option to improve transit from Eastern Jackson County into downtown Kansas City.  The commuter corridors under consideration are east along the I-70 corridor to Oak Grove and southeast along the old Rock Island Corridor possibly all the way to Pleasant Hill.

JCCCAA Open House-Independence

The Federal Transit Administration requires the study look at different alternatives to find the best and most cost-effective solution in a corridor. At the first open house the project team presented each alternative with descriptions and maps. They published the JCCCAA_Open_House_Booklet_092711 with these details.

The study is guided by FTA standards and will evaluate and compare the alternatives for mobility improvements, user benefits, operating efficiencies, cost effectiveness, ridership numbers, capital and operating costs, existing transit supportive land-use, and economic development effects. Economic development effects are evaluated based on transit supportive plans and policies and the actual performance of the land use policies as well as the potential impact of the project on regional land use.  Transit supportive plans and policies include factors such as growth management, transit supportive corridor policies, supportive zoning regulations near stations and tools to implement land use policies.

Here are the basic alternatives under consideration. The streetcar/light rail description in the booklet of the Alternative 5 eastern corridor is incorrect. It is a spur into Independence. The map is correct.

Alternative 1 is the baseline alternative for comparison. This is a  “No Build” scenario with minimum investment.

Display board for one of the alternatives

Alternative 2 is Transportation System Management to improve operating efficiency of current systems without adding capacity on the highways or making major capital improvements to the transit system. This could include improvements to the Scout System, improvements to the transit system already identified in the KCATA Comprehensive Service  Analysis, and expansion of Transportation Demand Management/ridesharing programs. TAN feels that many of these ideas should be implemented regardless of the other outcomes in the study since they can be done in the near term with relatively small financial outlays and noticeable improvements to the management of the corridors for all transportation modes, including cars.

Independence Mayor Reimal

Alternative 3 is an Enhanced Express Bus to Oak Grove and Pleasant Hill via the current highway system. There is the possibility of using Bus on Shoulder on I-70 between I-470 and the Kansas City Central Business District sometime in the future.

Alternatives 4 and 5 basically build on Alternative 3 by adding Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on US 40 and the Rock Island corridor, then adding a streetcar/light rail line from Crown Center that has two spurs, one to Independence and one to Raytown.  In these versions, the southeastern corridor uses the Rock Island corridor as a fixed guideway for the Enhanced Express Bus as well as the BRT.

One of the alternatives 3, 4 or 5 may be the preferred alternative if Regional Rapid Rail isn’t competitive in the analysis.

Alternative 6 is the Regional Rapid Rail system. There are three variations to the route provided, but the Truman Road route has been discussed the most. This system uses underutilized rail in the suburbs but requires new rail in multiple sections including the last seven miles into downtown. The eastern corridor uses the KC Southern line to Noland Road then requires new rail to cut over to the Truman Sports Complex. The southeastern corridor uses the old Rock Island line to just west of the Truman Sports Complex at US40. The Rock Island Corridor has not been used for almost 40 years, so it will be interesting to find out how much renovation is needed to return the line to safe operating condition.

Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders

Study participants from Parsons Brinckerhoff, Shockey Consulting and MARC

Both lines converge just east of the sports complex. There is discussion of a station south of the Chiefs south parking lot, what is currently the wooded area past entrance 3 to the Chiefs parking lot. A train viaduct can be seen as it crosses Blue Ridge Cuttoff just north of Raytown Road.

The two routes use a Common Line into downtown.  The last seven miles of the Common Line, after Leeds Junction by US 40, is on new tracks and often runs on city streets. According to the MARC corridor study in 2010, anytime the DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) vehicle travels on the streets it will have a maximum speed of 25 mph.  It goes north in the vicinity of 18th and Topping to Truman Road west of Jackson Avenue, and travels on Truman Road at a maximum speed of 25 mph. It turns south on Cherry to 20th where it turns west to arrive north of Union Station in the Freight House district close to Jack Stack Bar-B-Que.  This area is on the old KC Star storage track.  TAN still has many outstanding concerns about this alternative as expressed in an earlier article related to last year’s corridor study.

There are two other versions of this alternative. One has the eastern route stay on the KCS line until 23rd street and skips the Sports Complex. The 23rd street route runs down the center of the street at a maximum speed of 25 mph and connects with the Common Line at I-435. The other variation has both routes connecting at the Sports Complex, and traveling along the Common Line but cross Truman Road and follows the Kansas City Terminal and then the “trench embankment” into the Freight House district north of Union Station.

TAN is waiting on the project team to provide more details about the routes as they proceed in the study. Some sections of the routes are still vague, but that is normal since the study just started and the team needs time to find the best options.

The project team held three open house sessions the last week of September, Independence, Raytown and Union Station, to explain and discuss the “Purpose and Needs” statement for the project and show the public the proposed alternatives. There was an excellent turnout. Three additional public meetings are planned in November 2011, January 2012 and March 2012.  Visit the study’s website for more information.

Project Leader Shawn Dikes

In Independence, Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders spoke about the need to plan ahead for future transit needs. He also made the point that even if you personally don’t use transit many of the people you interact with do, so you still need transit. Parsons Brinckerhoff Project Manager Shawn Dikes had a PowerPoint presentation to explain the study. See his presentation JCCCAA-Open-House-Presentation-Sept2011

This study is costing $1.2 million. MARC plans to add the study for the US71/Grandview corridor to this study. Jackson County has already received $652,200 to do that study plus MARC has applied for another $1.2 million for the US71 corridor and hopes all these studies can be combined.

TAN feels very strongly that the region needs to implement the best alternative from this study, whether it is Enhanced Express Bus, BRT, Streetcar/Light Rail, Regional Rapid Rail  or a combination.  If we are going to spend this amount of money on studies then it is our responsibility, to the best of our ability, to implement the recommendations that come out of them.

Posted in Local Transit Issues, Meeting Reports, Rail, Transit Studies | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

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