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Is The Star creating a light rail plan?

starrail.jpgWe've been hearing rumblings that The Kansas City Star is working on their own light rail route. That's all we know right now, so there's no telling what the route, technology, or funding will look like.

Why would The Star design and then support their own plan? The editorial board has supported light rail in the past. We haven't seen their plan and are not casting judgment, but too many plans muddy the waters for voters. If voters get confused, they'll get irritated and vote against any and all plans. There are already several proposed or being planned. If The Star's board does still support light rail in Kansas City, they'll need to be careful on how this is presented.

They'll also need to take care with their reporting, as they've said repeatedly that the editorial board does not decide content. It will also be interesting to see how they qualify themselves as a qualified route designer.

4 Comments so far

  1. northlander October 25th, 2007 5:38 pm

    If the KC Star does a route for Light Rail as good as it sells newspapers I don’t look for much.

  2. Journalists or Transportation Planners? : BlogKC October 26th, 2007 8:45 am

    […] KC Light Rail has an interesting rumor about The Star working on its own light rail plan. This would be the fifth plan after Chastain’s plan, the “official” city and KCATA plan, Mayor Funkhouser’s illusory regional plan, and the KC Design Center’s theoretical plan. […]

  3. northlander October 27th, 2007 7:46 pm

    Problem is nobody really has a plan,only pie is in sky dreams of what will work without any input from those who can tell us. Clay’s plan cost to much and goes where light rail can’t go. KC Design Center which has light rail downtown with a system that won’t average but 19mph which is not any better than the buses when you figure cost in. [and are to large] Someone needs to have a meeting to design routes that can be built to have more density,small stores for milk bread etc on the route so they don’t have to travel far . Need companys to come in and have 300-500 employees to fill downtown empty spaces.How can we do a regional plan when we can’t do a 12 mile route?

  4. mainstream October 28th, 2007 11:32 am

    I just read the Star’s plan and I like it - alot.

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