The latest word of warning from Kansas City's most prolific transit activist . . .
Clay Chastain...Will the city council, this Thursday, honor and respect the people's streetcar initiative and place it on the April ballot, or get sued for not??
With the James' administration's past and on-going hostility toward petitions from the people in mind, citizens look to Thursday to see if the council will vote to place a valid streetcar initiative from the people on the April ballot.
2,500 voters signed the initiative and played by the rules. We expect the council to play by the rules as well and not delay a vote unless they can state a valid reason for doing so.
If the council can place before April voters an odd petition to impose a citywide sales tax for improvements in only one part of the city (the eastside), then it should have no problem placing another petition on the April ballot that would impose a citywide sales tax for transit improvements across the ENTIRE city.
This new transit initiative seeks to improve Kansas City by taking what we now have-a slow moving, frequently stopping and geographically limited streetcar line that operates in traffic, and transform it into a more useful, rapid moving, infrequently stopping and citywide rail system that would primarily operate in exclusive transit greenways separated from traffic.
This non-traditional, efficient and convenient streetcar system (coupled with an auxiliary electric bus/ bikeway network to expand its service area) would be the first of its kind in the country and the catalyst we need to revitalize the city around and modernize its out-dated and unpopular bus-based transit system.
So here is that new innovative streetcar initiative plan, as spelled out on the face of the petition signed in support of by 2,500 Kansas City voters, that will operate like a junior light rail system but at a far lesser cost to build than light rail...
In order to provide the people a more livable, sustainable and transit-oriented city shall the City of Kansas City, Missouri impose a 1/8-cent transportation sales tax and a 1/4-cent capital improvement sales tax, both beginning 8/1/2017 and lasting for 25-years, with the proceeds of said taxes, and any other additional funds, which may include federal matching funds, to be used for the purpose of funding the construction, operation and maintenance of the following infrastructure improvements:
(1) Transform the city’s downtown streetcar system into a more rapid rail system (operating at faster speeds, with fewer stops and predominantly in new transit greenways separated from traffic) and also expand it into a more citywide streetcar system by adding 4 new lines …(a) a south line from Union Station to the Kansas City Zoo with intermediate stops at…Penn Valley Park, Armour, Westport, the Plaza, UMKC, Rockhurst Univ., 57th St. & Troost, Brookside @ 63rd St., and Research Hospital and (b) a north line from the City Market to the central northland with 2 intermediate stops and (c) an east line from downtown to the Jackson County Sports Complex with intermediate stops at Hospital Hill, Troost, Prospect, and the VA hospital and (d) a second east line from downtown to the Old Northeast; and with express electric-bus service provided from the northern rail station to Twin Creeks Neighborhood and Kansas City International Airport, from the KC Zoo rail station to the Cerner Campus at Bannister and beyond, and from the Plaza rail station to Brookside, Waldo and South Kansas City ); and
(2) Establish a new electric mini-bus fleet and new bikeway feeder system to assist people in getting to and from streetcar stations without the need of a private automobile; and
(3) Convert, if possible, Penn Valley Drive (Broadway through Penn Valley Park) into a vehicular-free Streetcar / Bicycle / Pedestrian Greenway and Troost Ave. (from Brush Creek to 63rd St.) into the same; and utilize, where possible, for rail routes… park land, medians of city blvds. and existing right-of-ways?
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