Erin, Carol, Carroll and Rachel conducting the Rosedale Transit Survey

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners approved a 2014 budget that includes a new bus route serving the Rosedale and Argentine neighborhoods.  Bus the Boulevard, an informal coalition composed of representatives from Rainbow Mennonite Church, Rosedale Development Association, Rosedale Ridge Apartments, Westwood Christian Church and Transit Action Network, started working in October 2012 to get a new bus route on Southwest Boulevard.

Bus the Boulevard came together when Rosedale residents began voicing their concerns about Rosedale Ridge, an apartment complex housing 160 families that is isolated from public transit at the top of a very steep hill.  Residents reported having little access to grocery stores, places of employment, and medical care and having to walk over 1.5 miles to the nearest bus stop.  The group began gathering data about the transportation needs of Rosedale Ridge residents and sharing their results with UG Transit.

In response to the data, UG Transit designed a totally new route (pictured as a blue line in the map below). According to Emerick Cross, Director of UG Transit,   “Currently, the newly proposed Rosedale bus route will run from 47th Street (Oklahoma Joe’s area) by KU Med. down to SW Blvd. onto Merriam Lane, north on 18th Street Expressway to Argentine and back.”

Waiting to testify at the UG Finance Committee budget meeting.
Erin, Connie, Carroll, and Carol

The route connects Rosedale residents with medical care at the University of Kansas Hospital, the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Southwest Boulevard Family Health Care on the east end, and the new Save-A-Lot Grocery store on Metropolitan Avenue, as well as the Argentine Community Center and the South Branch Library, on the west end.

The new route is scheduled to start running on May 1st, 2014, following a service study by KCATA.

According to Erin Stryka from Rosedale Development Association, “We are thrilled to see people who live, work and play in Rosedale connected to essential community resources through the new bus line!”

All of the coalition members appreciate the help and support provided by UG Transit and District 3 Commissioner Ann Murguia.  We are very excited by this successful result and we thank the UG Commissioners for funding this new service.

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