Transit Action Network (TAN)

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

Archive for January, 2012

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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Transit Networking Happy Hour – February 10 at McCoy’s

Posted by Transit Action Network on January 27, 2012


Come to McCoy’s in Westport from 4-6PM on Friday, February 10, 2012!  It will be the perfect opportunity to talk transit. Discuss the transit issues dominating the news like the Downtown Streetcar and Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis. Catch up on what’s happening on a route near you, or one across town and meet fun transit oriented people.

Transit Action Network has reserved the “long room” between McCoy’s and The Foundry for this initial casual transit networking event.  McCoy’s is located at Pennsylvania and Westport Roads.

Appetizers will be half price.  House beer and wine as well as cocktails will be $1 off.

See TAN’s celebration at McCoy’s when Kansas City passed the ordinance that restored funding from the ½ cent transportation sales tax to public transit.

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Help Protect the Transit Budget in Johnson County

Posted by Transit Action Network on January 27, 2012


TheJO

Johnson County Transit has already had several years of budget cuts.  This year it resulted in cutting service and changing routes. In the next two budgets they could lose an additional $700,000 or more in total, which would have a significant impact on riders and the level of transit service.

Johnson County is having focus groups to gain information from residents about how they would balance the budget. If you are a resident please attend the focus group in your district to voice your budget priorities. You must register to be included.

More information at Johnson County Residents to Voice Budget Priorities

To RSVP, contact Jennifer Wilding at jenwilding@consensuskc.org or 816.531.5078. With so few spaces available, they are sure to go quickly so please get in touch soon.

If you don’t get on a focus group, please contact your commissioner and tell him how important it is to improve and expand transit service in Johnson County, and ask them not to do additional budget cuts. Transit is a basic infrastructure service and in an urban setting delivering people to jobs is like delivering gas, water and electricity.  Please help secure transit funding.

Focus group dates

The meetings will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at a central site in each district.

Dates include:

District 1: Wednesday, February 15 (Commissioner Ed Peterson)

 District 2: Thursday, February 9 (Commissioner Jim Allen)

 District 3: Thursday, March 1 (Commissioner David Lindstrom)

 District 4: Monday, February 13 (Commissioner Jason Osterhaus)

 District 5: Monday, March 12 (Commissioner Michael Ashcraft)

 District 6: Wednesday, February 8 (Commissioner Calvin Hayden)

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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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