July 20 meeting to discuss Metcalf/SMP transit
The Star reports that Overland Park, Mission, and Johnson County Transit will host a public meeting from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, to discuss transit along Metcalf Avenue and Shawnee Mission Parkway.
Those two streets will eventually be served by something resembling "lite" Bus Rapid Transit, like KCATA's MAX on Main and (soon-to-be) Troost. The corridor recently got a boost as part of a $50 million TIGER grant, which will also benefit the State Avenue corridor in Kansas City, Kansas. All routes are part of MARC's SmartMoves Urban Corridors plan.
The JO has yet to ask for a dedicated funding mechanism, instead relying on the good graces of the Johnson County Commission to dole out whatever annual subsidy they see fit — although that amount has grown in recent years.
Coincidentally, US DOT is seeking a third round of TIGER funding for next year. Let's hope the metro creates more compelling applications that will encourage more elected officials in Kansas to make transit funding a real priority.
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This is a good step, but the metro area really does need *metro transit*. It’s irritating that most of the Jo service goes from areas along the I-35 Corridor to downtown, with little infrastructure in place for moving jobholders from KC to Johnson county. For this, mostly the KCATA’s 175 line fits the bill: from bannister mall to waldo, down state line, over 95th street, and down metcalf, circling sprint campus, leawood “towne centere”, and Menorah hospital complex. Today, the planned Metcalf equivelent of MAX won’t circle sprint campus, “towne centere” or Menorah; just run down metacalf. What gives?
More than anything, I wish Johnson county would buy into the KCATA system. Of course, that might mean seeing brown people in Oak Park Mall.
perhaps you should check out The JO’s new route 575:
http://www.thejo.com/Routes/575.shtml
technically, johnson county is part of KCATA. they elected to start doing their own thing years ago. the prevailing concerns were probably total lack of control and mistrust of all things KCMO.
best to give up the ghost on joco every formally joining a true metro-wide system again. as long as transfers, monthly passes, and routes are coordinated… who cares? the only thing on that list that’s missing now is monthly passes.