Official: KCMO Light Rail

[warwickland]

(This thread is for discussing the implementation of this proposal as is, and does not refer to any hypothetical changes).

On November 7th, 2006, the citizens of Kansas City, Missouri approved Question 2, which reads as follows -


In order to provide for the people of Kansas City a pioneering urban rail passenger system, constituting the foundation of a future regional transit system, offering not only increased energy-efficiency, comfort, mobility, transportation savings, and convenience, but also a greener, cleaner, safer environment, a stronger economy, and a means to help America reduce its dependence on imported oil; shall the City of Kansas City, Missouri extend the current three-eighths (3/8) cent transportation sales tax, due to expire on March 31, 2009, for 25 years, beginning April 1, 2009 and ending March 31, 2034, with said tax to be used solely to fund the construction, operation, maintenance, and beautification of the following transportation improvements under the auspices of the Kansas City, Missouri City Council:


1.         Implement Kansas City’s new Heartland Light Rail System consisting of a north/south light rail spine beginning at the Kansas City Zoo in Swope Park and ending at Kansas City International Airport including, but not limited to, stops at UMKC, Nelson Art Gallery, Plaza, Westport, Union Station, Performing Arts Center, Convention Center, Power & Light District, Sprint Center, City Market area, North Kansas City, North Oak Trafficway, and Zona Rosa; with the route following 63rd Street, Troost Avenue, 50th           Street, Rockhill Road, Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard, Mill Creek Park, Broadway Boulevard, along the high ridge in Penn Valley Park to the junction of Kessler Road and Pershing Road, the west side of Union Station’s Carriage House, Broadway Boulevard, 13th Street, Oak Street, Heart of America Bridge, Burlington Avenue, N. Oak Trafficway, Englewood Road, Waukomis Drive, the interurban right-of-way, Barry Road, Amity Avenue, and concluding at a transit hub, park & ride lot, and shuttle station near Madrid Avenue at KCI; also including new ground level power supply technology (no overhead wires), and park & ride lots;
 

2.         Implement a green fleet of sixty electric shuttles to provide connecting transit service to all light rail stops making possible the expansion of the light rail system’s service area to nearby job centers, neighborhoods, and other primary destinations not directly served by the rail line;

 
3.         Implement an aerial gondola tram system providing passenger service between Union Station, Liberty Memorial, and Penn Valley Park; remove all thru vehicular roads, including Broadway, in the park and re-route traffic around the park; replace roads with landscaped transportation corridors for new bicycle & walking pathways, the gondola, and a wooden light rail truss bridge; with the funds also to be used to retire bond indebtedness related to the projects, and to help secure additional federal, state, and regional transportation funds?


The proposed LRT route looks approximately like this (courtesy of Bahua) -

North


South


Here is a couple of pictures of the stated Ground Level Power Supply technology as applied to an LRT system in Bordeaux, France-









KC Light Rail Wiki-

http://www.kcskyscrapers.com/wiki/index.php?title=Light_Rail

[KansasCityCraka]

Why is it necessary to post in in so many locations? The world may never know....

[warwickland]

Why is it necessary to post in in so many locations? The world may never know....

i accidentally moved the old thread because it ended up in the wrong room while i was battling a freezing computer and a 4 dollar mouse. i then locked it. all hypothetical comments should now go to light rail routing issues -

http://www.kcskyscrapers.com/newforum/index.php?topic=10497.80

i apologize for being a horrible moderator!

from this point forward, this thread is specifically for what is going on concerning the chastain plan, and reactions from city hall, etc. the old chastain thread is gigantic, and it is impossible to easily access the wiki and other information, which is now in the first comment of this thread. i thought it might be nice to start afresh with an official thread concerning the plan which was actually voted upon.

[49r]

Wayne Godsey, KMBC President And General Manager, presented an editorial commentary tonight on the 6 O'Clock news regarding the light rail issue and voiced very strong support for the initiative, even calling out folks on the KS side of the state line to get on board so to speak and get involved with light rail in KC.  Looks like in just a few days this thing is really picking up momentum.

Look for the video to be posted at http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/editorials/index in the next few days.

[warwickland]

has anybody calculated or heard exactly how long this line is?

[ShowMeKC]

I think it's about 24.5 miles... approx.

[DaveKCMO]

enjoy the video goodness from france! this is the technology that is proposed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV04iOUiQ2Q

translation: "At Station Hotel de Ville, crossing of two tram lines using the APS system (fed by the ground): the only one of it's kind in the world!"

[kcmetro]

enjoy the video goodness from france! this is the technology that is proposed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV04iOUiQ2Q

translation: "At Station Hotel de Ville, crossing of two tram lines using the APS system (fed by the ground): the only one of it's kind in the world!"

I would LOVE to see that in KC! 

[KansasCityCraka]

I would love to see that however I can guarantee it would take some getting use to since they sound their horns and then immediately take off....I would be afraid of being run over lol.

[KansasCityChiefs]

That would be awesome, but I agree with craka. The entire time I was thinking, I wonder when that train will start moving and somebody will try to make it across and get mowed down.

[kard]

You guys would be perfect around it--paranoia makes you pay attention. 

The driver can see people and stop.  Little old ladies are safe.

[49r]

Those are some long-ass trolleys!

Also, it might just be the poor quality of the sound on the video, but it seemed to me like the trains sounded like they were dragging tin cans underneath them as they passed by.  That could be a bit annoying...

[kard]

Mr. Chastain had an op-ed piece in the Star today:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/opinion/16004980.htm

Leaders should stop trying to usurp will of people
AS I SEE IT
By Clay Chastain

...

However, City Hall just can’t let a good thing be a good thing. Within hours of voters’ approval, officials were threatening to repeal it. Mayor Kay Barnes asked if another “refined plan” could be brought before voters.

Can we just vote again because the city does not like the way the election turned out? Where does this stop?

That's just a small excerpt.  Read it--it's pretty well rounded.

[DaveKCMO]

Small Starts information:

http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/newstarts/planning_environment_222.html

[DaveKCMO]

light rail will be the topic on tomorrow's edition of "up to date" on KCUR.

http://www.kcur.org/uptodate.html

[kard]

light rail will be the topic on tomorrow's edition of "up to date" on KCUR.

http://www.kcur.org/uptodate.html

Awesome!

We'll talk with ballot sponsor Clay Chastain, Kansas City Transit Alliance executive director Greg Lever, Dick Jarrold, senior director of system development and engineering with the Kansas City Area Transit Authority, and others.

[KCMax]

I'm sure they'll take your calls too!

[DaveKCMO]

my google alert for "kansas city light rail" brought this odd item:

http://americandaily.com/article/16481

In Kansas City voters had voted down light rail eight times. This time a 27-mile starter line was approved by a 53% to 47% margin. Some local officials were so upset that it passed they threatened not to construct the line. Others said the voters had spoken and they are obligated to follow their lead. One of the Kansas City newspapers called the passage of the light-rail initiative “a huge upset.” I mention these because while the Democrats won control of the Congress, conservatives prevailed as to most of the ideological issues on the ballot.

[im2kull]

I hope we at least get a starter line...and a nice wireless one at that..no reason to use old technology...it'd be like building a new computer with an old pentium II processor to sell as brand new...it just doesnt make sense to not go wireless with the LRT plan...

[ShowMeKC]

Someone needs to call today during the program and ask Chastain if he would allow revisions in the route and funding in his plan, or if he'd fight city hall to keep them from doing any revisions.