KC Light Rail

The US Department of Transportation received 1,400 TIGER funding applications totaling $57 billion by the Sept. 15 deadline. MARC submitted a multi-jurisdictional application for $88 million that included $6 million for design and engineering of a downtown streetcar circulator. Only $1.5 billion in funding is available nationwide.

While the applications were heavy on highways and bridges (our own application also includes a new freeway interchange), this caught our eye:

The Department of Transportation has designed a rigorous evaluation process that will require projects seeking over $100 million in federal funds to undertake an economic benefit-cost analysis. The required analysis will consider factors such as fuel and travel time savings, carbon emission reductions and economic and public health benefits.

Currently, no highway or bridge is forced to undergo a cost-benefit analysis (and they certainly don't have to prove any emissions or public health benefits — are there any?). Only transit projects are subjected to such scrutiny, which adds years to the design and approval process. The federal playing field is certainly not level, leading state DOTs into the same highway bias.

Here are some other regional applications:

- Olathe, KS
- Independence, MO
- Tanney County, MO
- St. Louis, MO
- St. Charles County, MO
- KDOT
- MoDOT

KC appears to be the only Missouri city that applied for mass transit funding. Others have included bike and pedestrian improvements.