KC Light Rail

Momentum continues to build for the next economic bailout package to include a major infusion for infrastructure funding. The chorus of economists pushing the idea point to jobs, jobs, jobs. Why? It takes a lot of local hands to build stuff. Turns out the $600 "refund" checks were a total waste and the hastily-approved toxic assets purchase has already been abandoned. One alternative is to take a page from China's playbook. Yes, our rail systems in the US are considered third world.

The Chinese government says it will create six million new jobs by investing $87-billion in railway projects next year. It also plans to invest a similar amount in urban mass-transit projects, where Bombardier has traditionally been a top supplier of rail cars and other equipment. Bombardier has already sold about 1,300 metro cars in China and it is currently tracking about 200 possible transit contracts in 37 cities across China, Mr. Zhang said.

But after a failure at the ballot box, KC might have to play catch up — again — to capture part of a domestic infrastructure package for urban or commuter rail, or even for the oft-discussed combined sewer replacement project. Earlier this year, Mayor Funkhouser was one of several big city mayors to testify before the US Senate that additional infrastructure spending was needed.

We're not going anywhere, in case you were wondering. There's lots of potential in the aftermath of Tuesday's vote. In order of importance, here are the major fuck-ups with the starter line campaign:

Epic Fail #1: RIDERSHIP

A complete and total unknown before the election. Original schedule was June.

Epic Fail #2: CITY COUNCIL

Bickering with each other and constantly pointing the finger at Mayor Funkhouser. Yeah, we all know they want to be the next mayor, but come on. Fall in line behind the regional plan next year and put your petty differences aside… all of you. Make sure the ATA has the money to finish the Alternatives Analysis, even if you have cut the stadiums subsidy to make it happen (they're doing fine, financially… the city and transit are not).

Epic Fail #3: EXTENSIONS

The election results by ward suggest that none of the politically-motivated extensions (Water Works to I-29, Plaza to Prospect, Brush Creek to 63rd) garnered any additional real support at the ballot box.

Epic Fail #4: OAK

Who? What? When? Exactly. Right before the election the project team started dropping Oak Street as an option through downtown, unquestionably to keep Cordish out of the fray. This option was not vetted with the public and should not have been mentioned. Period.

Epic Fail #5: SEWERS

One phrase sums this up: RED HERRING. Submit the plan on time next year and get it out of the way before the next transit vote.

Epic Fail #6: BALLOT LANGUAGE

Don't make people add fractions ever again. Assuming a voter wasn't aware light rail was on the ballot, the question's language was too wordy and confusing. It did, however, have the correct amount of route detail, regardless of what the opposition said. The failure to garner a majority vote had more to do with the economy and the regional discussion (and lack of a clawback if no federal funding came through). Kudos to The Star for doing the educational legwork the project team did not make time to do.

Did that catch your attention? Good.

More old money joins the Committee for Sensitive Transfers — or whatever they're calling themselves now — with a big contribution: Tom McDonnell of DST.

According to Prime Buzz, McDonnell and his company also helped bankroll the 2001 opposition group (it's all the same people now… surprised?). While acting as a mostly positive force in urban core development, DST is the recipient of lots of public subsidies and incentives. This begs the question: Why would McDonnell oppose a project that improves the infrastructure along 14-mile swath of the city?

Your guess is as good as ours, especially when you read this Business Journal quote from 2004:

"For several years, I have envisioned a downtown Kansas City enriched by the cultural and residential presence that I have encountered in other cities in the United States, Canada and Europe."

Yeah, that Europe. It's no coincidence that Europe had roads first and rail later. Why should KC be any different?

Seriously, as if their argument wasn't callous or transparent enough, the lone opposition to light rail in KC is being uncovered for what they really are. The Pitch makes it clear again that we're not dealing with Mom and Pop on Main Street. Some key highlights:

- One business owner is bankrolling the entire campaign.
- Their new car wash, which will take up a half-block of what should be store fronts on one of our busiest commercial corridors, will be totally automated (Are Mom and Pop behind some curtain? Will it breed crime? How do more car washes address KC's goal of becoming a green mecca?).
- Their "campaign's" last ditch effort is to throw out the ballot question on a technicality.

Do they have what it takes to make a compelling case against light rail when the electorate has proven — both at the ballot box in 2006 and in polling earlier this year — that they're tired of talk and want action. The answer is NO. Vote YES on Nov. 4.

The Kansas City Star endorsed the KCMO and NKC light rail questions on its editorial page today, a move that was expected given the broad consensus between elected officials and the business community.

Unlike the 2001 city-backed plan — or any one of the Chastain-backed petition initiatives — the current plan takes the best ideas and distills them down to an easy-to-understand starter route that connects to two major freeways on both ends, crosses the river, and serves KC's top three job centers. In short, it makes sense to all but the most stalwart anti-transit curmudgeons.

Couple all of that with an expected makeover of federal transportation funding, the rapid rise in environmental awareness, and an increase in local transit demand and you've got a great setup for victory on November 4.

Pitch Weekly rabble-rouser David Martin provides the fodder that proves ulterior motives are the only reason to be against light rail: the entire operation is bankrolled by the new car wash being built at Linwood and Main.

Maybe you've wondered why such a high profile location was surrendered to such a low use? Yeah, we totally did too. It's no secret that this stretch of Main Street has been in every city-backed light rail proposal since the beginning of time and that a car wash in no way fits with the official vision for the corridor. Pay no mind that a few blocks away the much-maligned Big Bay Car Wash was torn down only last year because it was a target for crime. Anyone see the irony here?

We're quite pleased to read that these Citizens for "Sensible" Transit have finally broken the $50,000 mark in fundraising. They might be able to afford a teevee spot the day before the election.