March 20, 1 p.m.: Share-A-Fare In Phase A
$50 Million for Transit, Green Impact Zone Improvements Announced
$50 Million for Transit and Green Impact Zone Improvements Announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood
(Kansas City, Mo. – Feb. 18, 2010) U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced that Kansas City will receive $50 million as part of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program. This money will create jobs while providing improvements in key transit corridors and the Green Impact Zone of Missouri.
Public transit improvements will occur along several major transit corridors:
- Bus stop and pedestrian improvements along North Oak in North Kansas City, Gladstone and Kansas City, Mo.
- Bus stop and pedestrian upgrades within the Linwood/US 40 corridor, from midtown Kansas City to eastern Jackson County.
- Independence, Mo., Transit Center improvements, and enhancements to bus stops between Kansas City, Mo., and Independence.
- State Avenue in Kansas City, Kan., improvements will include two new transit centers and additional upgrades along State Avenue.
- Enhancements along Metcalf Avenue and Shawnee Mission Parkway in Johnson County, Kan., including sidewalk improvements.
Within the Green Impact Zone, transit enhancements will include sidewalk repair and construction, concrete bus pads and pullouts, and new passenger amenities. At 39th & Prospect, bus pullouts and shelter upgrades are planned to improve traffic flow creating a safer and more comfortable environment for Metro customers waiting to board buses. Along the MAX bus rapid transit route on Troost, reconstruction of the Troost Bridge over Brush Creek by the City of Kansas City, Mo., will receive $8 million in funds. In addition, funds are allocated for street improvements, traffic signal upgrades, and traffic signal interconnectivity.
KCATA General Manager Mark Huffer said this project further strengthens transit’s role in providing vital services to the Kansas City community.
“This is an infrastructure improvement to make Metro service more attractive to customers who currently use the bus and to attract people who do not yet use The Metro,” Huffer said. “These funds will help us create transfer centers, erect benches and shelters and construct or repair sidewalks at key stops throughout the region. Projects from these funds will enhance transit’s connectivity to where people live, work, and shop. We are delighted that the Secretary recognized the positive transit improvements already implemented in our region, and chose to fund additional projects to keep the positive momentum going.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stated these discretionary grants are a good investment on the part of the federal government.
“TIGER grants will tackle the kind of major transportation projects that have been difficult to build under other funding programs,” LaHood said. “This will help us meet the 21st century challenges of improving the environment, making our communities more livable and enhancing safety, all while creating jobs and growing the economy.”
Proposed by U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II, the Green Impact Zone initiative was hailed by President Obama in July for its focus on “transforming a low-income community into a national model of sustainability by weatherizing homes and building a green local transit system.”
The Kansas City project was selected from more than 1,400 applications, totaling over $60 billion in requests, were submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Awards throughout the country will total $1.5 million. The Kansas City Regional TIGER application was submitted to USDOT by the Mid-America Regional Council. The TIGER program required that projects be shovel ready and be able to generate short- and long-term economic impacts, generate added outcomes of livability, promote safety, and involve innovative technology and financing.
Share-A-Fare To Increase Fares; SwingShift Program To Be Discontinued
(Kansas City, Mo. – Feb. 3, 2010) The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) will increase passenger fares for the Share-A-Fare paratransit service and discontinue the SwingShift program, effective April 1, 2010.
Due to declining sales tax revenues, which is KCATA’s primary funding source, KCATA is facing serious budget challenges that affect Share-A-Fare and Metro bus customers. These changes follow a fare increase for Metro service in March 2009 and Metro bus service reductions in June 2009.
Share-A-Fare Fare Increases
Share-A-Fare is a transportation program serving people with a disability that prevents them from using fixed-route bus service. The service provides paratransit trips as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) throughout The Metro bus service area, as well as some other transportation services for eligible persons in Kansas City, Mo.
Effective April 1, 2010, the fare for ADA-eligible trips will increase 25 cents to $2.50 per trip. Federal guidelines allow ADA paratransit fares to be up to twice the regular bus fare, which is currently $1.50. Fares for non-ADA Share-A-Fare trips are based on distance and will increase as indicated in the following chart.
Non-ADA, Share-A-Fare |
|
Trip Length | Fare |
0 – 3 miles | $2.75 |
3 – 6 miles | $4.50 |
6 – 9 miles | $6.00 |
9 – 12 miles | $7.75 |
12 – 15 miles | $11.00 |
15+ miles | $11.00 + $1.65 per mile |
ADA Eligible Trips | $2.50 |
SwingShift
The SwingShift program was designed to provide transportation to or from work by using a combination of Metro service and cabs when bus service is not available. SwingShift serves work trips only and cab fare is charged. Customers also are to purchase a Metro Monthly Bus Pass and are allowed one cab ride per day, not to exceed five trips per week.
KCATA stopped accepting new SwingShift customers in August 2008 and the program will be discontinued effective April 1, 2010. Approximately 61 customers currently use the program.
Public Comment Opportunities
KCATA is accepting public comment regarding the fare increase to Share-A-Fare and elimination of the SwingShift program:
Mail: Share-A-Fare, 1200 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: 816-346-0300 (This is a pre-recorded comment line only.)
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Public Meeting: Share-A-Fare Service Review Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 9 a.m. at the KCATA offices, 1200 E. 18th Street. The first half hour of the Feb. 9 and March 9 meetings will be reserved for public comment on the fare increase.
Monthly Pass Price Increases On Liberty Express Route
The monthly pass price for customers on the #69X-Liberty Express will increase to $95, effective March 1, 2010. The one-way fare will remain $3. The increase has been approved by the City of Liberty, Mo., and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
The $10 increase in the monthly pass price increase is in response to rising costs of operating Metro service. Passes will go on sale at the $95 price Thursday, Feb. 25, at public outlets. Metro customers in Liberty can purchase monthly passes at Hy-Vee, 1332 West Hwy. 152, and Price Chopper, 896 South “M” Hwy. 291. Passes will be available in The Metro’s online store at store.kcata.org on Monday, Feb. 15.
KCATA is receiving public comments about the change through February 15:
- Mail: KCATA, Planning Dept., 1200 E. 18th St., KC, MO 64108
- Phone: 816-346-0348
- Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Information about routes and pass outlets is available online at http://www.kcata.org. Customers may also contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660 weekdays 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
