I caught this video via @Urbanverse on Twitter (when Twitter wasn’t down due to a DDoS). It’s a imagineKC video that ran on KCPT as a part of a special on Kansas City redevelopment.
It makes so much sense for this city to have mass transit. We’re so spread out here in KC, yet the places where we work are so clustered. As we move toward a greener, healthier society, it seems like the next step to connect everyone through modes of transportation that are automated and clean.
Now if the Kansas City government could just get someone in the mayor’s office with half a brain…
You know my feelings on mass transit. I want it and I want it now!!! and I dont want a slim down version with electric buses either. Lets do it and do it right.
Wow, that video looked like a developers wet dream. Not that there is anything wrong with that. The whole thing reminds me of the Sprint Center/Power and Light sell about 5-6 years ago. Oh look how this will revitalize these neglected areas/downtown, it will be so great! We will be SOOOOO contemporary just like city X that is so awesome! I would hesitate to say that the Sprint Center/P&L has lived up to all of it’s hype and promises and has a long way to go to do so.
Sure blame the economy for the quarter of a million dollar condos for not getting filled and hampering the “growth”. Before I get on a different tangent however let me get back to light rail.
If you’ll recall Glori…errr Mayor Funkhouser was in full support of the starter line that was a non starter on the November ballot last year. I was firmly against the plan as it was not well thought out and didn’t really go any where. It’s worth noting that I live downtown (yes I drank the Koolaid 4 years ago…) and would benefit greatly from light rail. The overall cost to the city with the previous plan was also very speculative that government funding would (assumed) to cover massive amounts of the cost.
I can go on but won’t. Bottom line is this, I would happily support mass transit in KC. Part of our problem due to the massive amount of suburban sprawl is finding a cost effective way to implement such a system. Lightrail has a pretty substantial cost as it requires lots of work to lay the track. I think a much more viable alternative would be streetcars. Just make sure you have a solid plan laid out when putting it on the ballot. Part of me still thinks Chastain’s 2006 ballot win was a fluke when it passed several years back. Lets face it, those same people that fled for the burbs don’t want to risk making it easy for an element they want left out easily in.
John, I agree with you on most points except your last one. The thing is that there is tons of existing track in the KC area that would only need to be converted to passenger rails, which is less of a cost than building new track.
And much of the infrastructure is already there. We just have to have leadership in our political office to figure out how to get their hands on some of that stimulus money. Because there is a lot to be had for this very thing…
I just got back from spending 5 days in NYC. We rode the subway everywhere. When I returned home to KC I experienced a distinct feeling of isolation. Living in the burbs and needing a car to get around creates a disconnect from the surrounding environment. If mass transit in KC helped to link people and places I am all for it. Increasing bike lanes would be nice too. I felt more comfortable riding in NYC then I do in KC.
I agree with Jill on the bike lanes. Every road this is new or restructured should be required to have bike lanes in both directions.
I would also like to see car pool lanes.
how about somebody just invents a really cheap energy efficient flying car so we can avoid all the other annoying things, like traffic and road construction & terrible drivers…