Transit Action Network (TAN)

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

Posts Tagged ‘MARC’

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Transit Consultant Chosen for Downtown Corridor Alternatives Analysis

Posted by Transit Action Network on March 24, 2011


Modern StreetCar

March 22. The MARC Board approved authorization to execute an agreement with HDR to do the Alternatives Analysis (AA) for the downtown corridor. HDR is an international employee-owned architecture, engineering and consulting firm. They have an excellent reputation working on transit projects and HDR has been heavily involved in streetcar implementation, especially in Portland. They have a KCMO office at 4435 Main.

The HDR team includes Nelson/Nygaard, Patti Banks, Burns & McDonnell, Polsinelli Shugahart, HG Consult, and Architectural & Historical Research.

From MARC’s  Request for Proposal (RFP):

“For the purposes of this Alternatives Analysis, the downtown corridor is in Kansas City, Missouri and extends from the Rivermarket on the north, through the Central Business District and the Crossroads areas to Crown Center on the south.  This is the center of the bi-state region and includes the region’s largest concentrations of employment, regionally significant activity centers and a growing residential population.

Downtown is the current regional hub for transit services and the expected terminus for future regional rail being studied in a separate Alternatives Analysis that is to be coordinated with this effort. There is significant transit service downtown, including two BRT lines terminating downtown, but existing services primarily focus on bringing persons from outlying parts of the city and region in and out of downtown. There is a significant and growing need for transit service focused on conveniently moving people within downtown and connecting the downtown activity centers, employment centers, residential areas and transit hubs. This need will heighten with any future introduction of regional or commuter rail.”

Modern streetcar and a variety of alternatives will be considered to meet the current and future needs.

Read KCATA’s  Kansas City Streetcar Concept

The AA is expected to be completed by Jan 2012.

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

Preparations for Two Transit Studies Move Forward

Posted by Transit Action Network on January 8, 2011


Jan 7, 2011: The major agenda item at a Kansas City, Missouri, Parking and Transportation Commission meeting this afternoon was a report on the downtown streetcar concept by Mark Huffer (general manager, KCATA), Dick Jarrold (project engineer, KCATA), and John Dobies (HNTB).  It was largely the same presentation that Dobies gave to MARC’s Transit Committee last month.  The line is expected to run from River Market to Crown Center along Main Street, and would be the first phase of a streetcar / light rail system that would extend farther south to the Plaza.  One of the issues identified was whether this line would be “serious transportation” or a tourist-oriented line.  Presenters articulated a clear bias toward the “serious transportation” purpose (though there would obviously be tourist implications).  We strongly agree.

Huffer confirmed that the streetcar and commuter corridors Alternatives Analysis studies (AA’s) will be done separately, albeit in a coordinated manner. The $1.8 million that the region has received from the FTA for the studies https://transactionkc.com/2010/12/22/commuter-rail-maybe-maybe-not-1-8-million-to-study-transit-corridors/ is 90% of the $2 million requested, so each study is expected to receive 90% of the original request.  Thus, the downtown streetcar study would receive $540 thousand and the commuter corridor study $1.26 million.

KCMO and KCATA expect to coordinate and provide the local match for the streetcar study, and the ATA has already written a draft scope of services in preparation for issuing an RFP (request for proposals) next month.  They will meet with the FTA on January 20 to work out details, and they hope to get the KCATA Board of Commissioners to approve the draft scope this month.  If all goes well, KCATA could select a consultant as early as April, and the study will likely take about 10 months.  The streetcar AA can move forward quickly because so much of the 2007-08 light rail AA work is applicable.  There’s also a sense of urgency because Kansas City has a shot at getting “small starts” money from the FTA under the current administration — if they decide to pursue federal funding.  This two-mile segment is part of the 14-mile light rail line that was turned down by voters in 2008, and is widely considered the segment most likely to be eligible for federal funding.

The commuter corridors AA for two lines — one to Blue Springs and beyond, and the other to Lee’s Summit and beyond — is much more complicated and will involve a much larger group of stakeholders, including several local jurisdictions, MoDOT, transit agencies, inner-city neighborhoods, transit advocates, trail proponents, the railroads, etc.  It will be coordinated jointly by Jackson County and MARC with Jackson County providing the local match, and it could easily take a couple of years to complete. They will also meet with the FTA on January 20.

Posted in Local Transit Issues, Rail, Transit Studies | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

Commuter Rail? Maybe-Maybe Not – – – $1.8 million to Study Transit Corridors!

Posted by Transit Action Network on December 22, 2010


December 21,2010 MARC announced that the Kansas City Region was awarded $1.8 million by the FTA for ‘Alternatives Analysis’ studies for transit in three corridors.  Two have been identified as having potential for commuter rail — they are part of the ‘Regional Rapid Rail’ system promoted by Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders — and the third has potential for modern streetcar in the downtown to Crown Center corridor.

The media are jumping to commuter rail conclusions based on expectations from Sanders’ innumerable public presentations. In fact, while the studies will look at commuter rail they will also look at other options such as express bus, BRT and even light rail. This is different from the recent ‘Commuter Corridors Study’ in which MARC allowed commuter rail to be the preferred solution.  In an FTA Alternatives Analysis all the transit modes have to be treated in an equivalent manner. The MARC press release http://bit.ly/gial1a is objective and doesn’t promote a particular alternative.  Stories in the Star http://bit.ly/ghL0Mj and KC Business Journal http://bit.ly/dFDt3r jump right to commuter rail conclusions.

The bottom line for now is that press reports about this grant feed unrealistic public expectations. The FTA recently changed its evaluation process and that is partly why rail is being considered again in these corridors. Previous analysis along the I-70 corridor resulted in express buses as the preferred alternative. At first glance commuter rail looks remarkably (and seductively) cost effective.  With closer scrutiny however, the realities of this plan suggest that federal funding will be difficult to secure. Unless the changes to the FTA evaluation process make a huge difference, express buses will likely come out on top for the two suburban corridors.

Meanwhile, the ‘downtown streetcar’ corridor study will restart work in preparation for rail in the most promising corridor for federal funding in the region.

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

Seamless Transit – Two Small Steps

Posted by Transit Action Network on December 7, 2010


MAX pylon at the Waldo stop

It’s been on our agenda for a long time, but we first wrote about “seamless transit” back in May http://bit.ly/abH9n1.  We consider it an issue because there are invisible barriers to transit riders who need to move about the region using buses operated by the three transit agencies.

Closeup of MAX pylon at Waldo stop

 

Two recent developments move the region a little closer to achieving seamless transit.

[1] – Johnson County Transit initiated a new bus route (575/875) in July http://bit.ly/fUembw connecting Waldo with Johnson County Community College via 75th Street and Quivira Road.  However, there was no evidence of the service at Waldo, except when a bus was actually there.  In response to our request to its Board of Commissioners in August http://bit.ly/goLu99, KCATA has posted a map and schedule for Route 575/875 at the Waldo MAX stop.  To our knowledge this is the first time a map and schedule for a Johnson County Transit route has been posted in Missouri.  Our hats are off to the KCATA and JCT staff who made this happen.  We hope a similar posting for Route 556/856 at the Plaza MAX stop will follow.  And then maybe something at 10th and Main where dozens of JCT buses stop every weekday.

Close-up of the map and schedule displayed on the MAX pylon.  JCT Route 575/875 is shown in the green panel at the lower left of the poster.

[2] – Mid-America Regional Council has convened a Seamless Transit Work Group within its Transit Committee.  Through this group, Transit Action Network will work with MARC and transit agency staff, plus representatives of other organizations, to define seamless transit — making the region’s transit network easier to use is a first working definition — and to outline steps the transit agencies should take to achieve it.

Two small steps for transit agencies and MARC.  Two giant leaps toward seamless transit.

http://bit.ly/abH9n1

Posted in Local Transit Issues, Seamless Transit | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Regional Rapid Rail and MARC’s Alternatives Analysis Request

Posted by Transit Action Network on July 15, 2010


Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) has submitted to the Federal Transit Administration a $2 million request for funding an Alternatives Analysis (AA) based on the results of the Commuter Corridor Study that TranSystems is currently completing. This study includes the Regional Rapid Rail system.

The AA would investigate two commuter corridors: 1) I-70/Blue Springs corridor alignment to Odessa and 2) the Rock Island/Lee’s Summit corridor alignment to Pleasant Hill. In these corridors Expanded Express Buses, Light Rail Transit and Regional Rapid Rail would be evaluated and compared.

In addition a downtown circulation system is included in the request. It would evaluate and compare Local Bus and Bus Rapid Transit, Streetcar and Light Rail Transit.

According to the submission, “Through the proposed alternatives analysis, the region will determine the type of transit that can best facilitate positive changes for the citizens of Greater Kansas City with commuter and urban service”.

Federal funding for this analysis is not guaranteed.

Read the submission: AA request

At the July 7th MARC Transit Committee meeting TranSystems presented an update of the current Commuter Corridor Study. Four of the Regional Rapid Rail lines, US-71 (Grandview), I-70 West (State Ave.), I-29 (KCI Airport), and I-35 North (Liberty), will not be pursued in the Alternatives Analysis.  Express buses/ Bus on Shoulder solutions will be recommended. Multiple reasons were given for 4 of the 6 regional rapid rail lines not being pursued at this time but they mainly related to lack of sufficient ridership numbers to warrant the expense.

Posted in Rail, Regional Rapid Rail | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

MARC will Host Webinar on Transportation and Climate Change

Posted by Transit Action Network on June 13, 2010


June 13 – Mid-America Regional Council will host a local viewing of a national webinar from the US Department of Transportation on Wednesday, June 16, from Noon until 1:30 pm at its offices, 600 Broadway.  You may bring your own lunch if you wish; drinks will be provided.  No need to register, but an RSVP to Lisa Pool at MARC lpool@marc.org is recommended.

The webinar is about a newly-released USDOT report to Congress, Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions — see press release:
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2010/dot7510.htm
It might be a little wonkish for some, but we think it’ll be worth seeing, especially since improved public transit will be a part of our nation’s response to climate change.

RM

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TAN to City Council–Postpone Support for Commuter Rail

Posted by Transit Action Network on May 20, 2010


Two weeks ago Mike Sanders and Jim Terry (TranSystems) presented the Regional Rapid Rail concept to the Kansas City Council and requested a letter of support for a $4.5 million earmark to do an Alternative Analysis of this concept and supporting transit. The Kansas City Council proposed a resolution to provide this letter. Testimony was held this morning on the resolution.  Mike Sanders and Jim Terry spoke in favor of the resolution. Ron McLinden spoke in favor of putting the resolution on hold until the MARC Commuter Corridor Study is complete in 6-8 weeks. This study is supposed to evaluate the feasibility and viability of the concept. The legislative committee passed the resolution this morning.

Link to Kansas City’s resolution

http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/liveweb/Documents/Document.aspx?q=YqMTgyrZqfbuzQ4IU2LxaHt4aTbzM6yZAILEMUBDk4MoMoIapbXkhY9XeKSqKxrE

Below is a copy of Ron’s statement this morning.

Presentation to the Kansas City Council Legislative Committee on May 20, 2010 by Ron McLinden

The idea of turning underused rail lines into a regional transit system is appealing – almost seductive.  There’s a lot of interest in having rail transit.  Every big city has it, and we don’t want to be left behind.  There’s less agreement, of course, about where it should go, and how we should pay for it.

In January, 2008, when the ATA was doing its most recent light rail study, you heard a presentation from Jeff Boothe, a rail transit expert from Washington, DC.  I recall distinctly one of the things he said:  Before you do light rail you need to know what you want it to do for you.

The same applies today.  What do we want rail transit to do for us, and will this proposed system actually do it?

You may be aware of a commuter corridors study that Mid-America Regional Council has had under way for about six months.  Its principal focus is to determine whether this commuter rail concept makes sense:  Can it deliver the travel time savings needed to attract enough riders to make it a viable project, one that can successfully compete for federal funding?  That study should be completed in six to eight weeks.  We suggest that you hear the results of the MARC study before you endorse the concept.

The concept envisions using city streets for some of the most critical rail segments, and it would cross several boulevards at grade.  We suggest you get input from your Public Works Department, and also from the Parks Board.

If you adopt this resolution now, before you have all the facts, you will further heighten public expectations about a concept that might or might not be viable.  The resolution says that you support asking for federal money to study the proposal further, but the headlines will say that commuter rail is a big step closer to becoming reality.

Candidly, we’re concerned that this proposal is a distraction from more fundamental transit issues:  What kind of total transit system will best serve the citizens of Kansas City, and help our city to grow as the vibrant urban center of the region?  How can we assure adequate and reliable funding for the transit service we already have, and for expansion to meet growing needs?

All of us applaud Jackson County’s interest in transit, and we should seize this opportunity to work with the County to put in place a mechanism for county-wide funding of major transit corridors, including commuter service using buses or rail.  Creating a county transit authority under existing state law is one such funding mechanism.  Jackson County outside Kansas City has unmet transit needs, and funding will be needed regardless of what kind of transit service is ultimately provided, so let’s get going on it now.

In summary, here’s our request to you:

+  Put this resolution on hold pending the results of the MARC study, and input from Public Works.

+  Join with other elected officials and work with Jackson County to establish a broader funding base for transit through creation of a county transit authority.

KC Regional Rapid Rail Concept

Posted in Rail, Regional Rapid Rail, RRR | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

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