KC Light Rail

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Light rail workshops next week

Next week is a busy one for light rail planning. Workshops will be held in all four "nodes" along the proposed route. The first meeting in each node is really introductory ("Orientation & Goals"), but the second meeting is where each neighborhood will select their preferred street alignment and station locations.

If you live in the affected area, here's your chance to have a say about the specifics. The full calendar is here, but below are the events coming up next week:

East Meeting #1 (east of Main Street)
6-8 p.m.
Monday, March 24
Mohart Multi-Purpose Center
3200 Wayne
[map]

North Meeting #1 (north of Missouri River)
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25
Northgate Middle School
2117 NE 48 Street
[map]

Downtown Meeting #2 (River to Linwood Boulevard)
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26
Kansas City Design Center
1018 Baltimore
[map]

Midtown Meeting #1 (Linwood to UMKC)
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 27
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
11 E. 40th
[map]

7 Comments so far

  1. Dave March 27th, 2008 8:38 am

    while i appreciate your attempt to be inflammatory, i was also at the table with kite the entire evening and i can say that you’ve taken his comments completely out of context. his point was — poor choice of words aside — that a cross-town connection that uses a light rail stop to serve traditionally black (eastside) and hispanic (westside) communities would be beneficial.

    as for your eminent domain claims, again there is no justification since the entire route will run in city streets (where rail ran just 50 years ago). regardless, every conversation about redevelopment at last night’s meeting was centered around the abundance of empty lots along the route.

  2. northlander March 27th, 2008 4:49 pm

    More info needed from the KCATA about bridges ,if they will hold a Light rail or not[such as Grand into the River Market or any other bridges that go to the River Market]. Still no talk of Streetcars which could go over these bridges.

  3. Dave March 27th, 2008 10:31 pm

    the workshops are set up to get your feedback on specific items in each of the four nodes along the route. if you don’t want light rail to go down main street through midtown, you’re way late to the party… those meetings were months ago. the process has narrowed the options so that it’s easier for us to make final selections; you may see that as a farce, but if we spend every meeting discussing every possible alignment, this thing will never get built.

    that being said, if you don’t want light rail at all, just vote no in november (it’s really that simple). coming to these meetings and pretending to be interested then launching into a tirade to distract everyone from the task at hand will do no good and just get you “relieved”. most people attending these meeting want to help answer the questions and get this thing built.

  4. northlander March 28th, 2008 3:57 pm

    Wrong Dave,we are picking routes now. Main,Grand or Walnut,or North of the River going Burlington,or Swift, North Oak TRWY,and a choice of No build,The “MAX” or Light Rail,no choice for streetcars they said it was the same thing.{wrong]
    Misinformation from the advisers will lead to poor input.

  5. Dave March 28th, 2008 4:29 pm

    my comment you’re responding to was specific to *midtown*. main is the only available option through *midtown* at this point. if you want *troost* through midtown, you are late to the party.

  6. Dave March 29th, 2008 8:41 am

    “steve/daniel/thomas”:

    1. the circles represent potential stop locations and the distance people are willing to walk before they reconsider and get in a car. they are NOT park-and-rides. in fact, i haven’t seen one formally designated park-and-ride in this effort, although i assume they will be built at the northern and souther terminii. i would personally be opposed to a park-and-ride in my neighborhood, too, because it’s not needed.

    2. while broadway may seem like a better idea, there are political realities. and yeah, it sucks that the westport-broadway people have more political sway than the hyde park residents. that’s certainly not new and certainly not unique to transit.

    3. yes, there are more vacant lots and derelict properties along main street. do you think they way main street looks today is a good thing? do you even walk on main street? my guess is no.

    4. yeah, the east side is suffering and the citadel is floundering. are you trying to make a point?

    5. why would you go to worthless meetings? if you want to advocate against light rail, just vote no in november and stop wasting everyone’s time.

    6. i’m older than you think i am. i own a home along the route, i work in KCMO, and i vote in every election.

    7. feel free to advocate for broadway. after all, it’s what voters originally approved. just don’t think your arguments against main street won’t be used against you later on.

    and lest i forget, we reserve the right to delete any comment containing unwarranted attacks, revealing personal information, or inaccuracies.

  7. northlander March 29th, 2008 12:06 pm

    Yes I agree the route should go main st to Westport Rd and cut over to Broadway to serve the public better. It would cut cost and people would be let off right at the Plaza, workers only 1 block from St.Luke’s.and at Westports door step. Well so much for for common thinking.

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