Infrastructure Kansas City, Missouri

1 infrastructure

1.1 highways
1.2 airports
1.3 public transportation

1.3.1 kcata- ridekc

1.3.1.1 ridekc bus , max
1.3.1.2 ridekc streetcar
1.3.1.3 ridekc bridj




1.4 walkability

infrastructure

originally, kansas city launching point travelers on santa fe, oregon , california trails. later, construction of hannibal bridge across missouri river, became junction of 11 trunk railroads. more rail tonnage passes through city other u.s. city. trans world airlines (twa) located headquarters in city, , had ambitious plans turn city air hub.

highways

kansas city major meeting place several of nation s busiest highways.

missouri , kansas first states start building interstates interstate 70. interstate 435, encircles entire city, second longest beltway in nation. (interstate 275 around cincinnati, ohio longest.) kansas city metro area has more limited access highway lane-miles per capita other large metro area, on 27% more second-place dallas–fort worth metroplex, on 50% more average american metropolitan area. sierra club blames extensive freeway network excessive sprawl , decline of central kansas city. on other hand, relatively uncongested road network contributes kansas city s position 1 of america s largest logistics hubs.

airports

kansas city international airport

kansas city international airport built twa s specifications make world hub. original passenger-friendly design placed each of gates 100 feet (30 m) street. following september 11, 2001, attacks, required costly overhaul conform tighter security protocols. charles b. wheeler downtown airport twa s original headquarters , houses airline history museum. still used general aviation , airshows.

public transportation

like american cities, kansas city s mass transit system rail-based. 1870 1957, kansas city s streetcar system among top in country, on 300 miles (480 km) of track @ peak. rapid sprawl in following years led private system shut down.

kcata- ridekc

on december 28, 1965, kansas city area transportation authority (kcata) formed via bi-state compact created missouri , kansas legislatures. compact gave kcata responsibility planning, construction, owning , operating passenger transportation systems , facilities within seven-county area.

ridekc bus , max

a newly branded ridekc bus.

in july 2005, kcata launched kansas city s first bus rapid transit line, metro area express (max). max links river market, downtown, union station, crown center , country club plaza. corridor employs on 150,000 workers. max operates , marketed more rail system local bus line. unique identity created max, including 13 modern diesel buses , identifiable stations . max features (real-time gps tracking of buses, available @ every station), , stoplights automatically change in favor if buses behind schedule. in 2010, second max line added on troost avenue. city planning max line down prospect avenue.

kc streetcar departing library stop heading north river market.


ridekc streetcar

on december 12, 2012, ballot initiative construct $102 million, 2-mile (3200 m) modern streetcar line in downtown kansas city approved local voters. streetcar route runs along main street river market union station; debuted on may 6, 2016. new non-profit corporation made of private sector stakeholders , city appointees – kansas city streetcar authority – operates , maintains system. unlike many similar systems around u.s., no fare charged initially. residents within proposed transportation development district determining fate of kc streetcar s southern extension through midtown , plaza umkc. port authority of kansas city studying running extension berkley riverfront park.

ridekc bridj

in 2015, kcata, unified government transit, johnson county transit, , indebus (all separate metro services) began merging 1 coordinated transit service kansas city region, called ridekc. buses , other transit options branded as: ridekc bus, ridekc max, ridekc streetcar, , ridekc bridj. ridekc bridj micro transit service partnership between ford bridj , kcata began on march 7, 2016. users download bridj app , use service taxi service. merger , full coordination expected complete 2019.

walkability

a 2015 study walk score ranked kansas city 42nd walkable out of 50 largest u.s. cities. whole, city has score of 34 out of 100. however, several of more densely populated neighborhoods have higher scores: westport has score of 91; downtown loop has score of 85; crossroads scored 85; , plaza scored 83. ratings range walker s paradise walkable. in april 2017, voters approved $800 million general obligation bond, part of designated sidewalk repairs , creating complete-streets.