The proposed $85.6 million allocation for 2026-27 is less than what the KCATA says it needs to maintain current service.
transportation
Posted inKansas City
Kansas City will lose nearly half its bus routes under transit agency’s drastic cost-cutting plan
According to documents obtained by KCUR, the agency plans to cut nearly half of its routes, drastically reduce weekend service and pare down its operating hours. It will also lay off about 170 workers.
Posted inLocal Government
Downtown parking changes leave Wichita businesses worried
Stewart’s Jewelry and the Hilton Garden Inn don’t compete for customers — just for parking. The Hilton, on the corner of South Topeka Street and Douglas Avenue, dwarfs the family-owned jewelry store next door. Customers of both businesses — and sometimes employees — compete for spaces in front of the two establishments. “If I don’t […]
Posted inLocal Government
Wichita’s bus riders want better service, but money is short
Samantha Richardson just started her new job at Pratt Industries in Park City. The only problem? Her 12-mile commute without a car. So she takes the bus. It gets close and it’s cheaper than Uber or Lyft. But Wichita’s bus network can feel anemic. Its flaws sometimes force Richardson to choose between putting in some […]
Posted inLocal Government, State Government
KC roads could just get bumpier. Eco-friendly cars are chipping away at street repair funds
The signs of springtime are among us: The smell of new flowers, the sight of children playing at the park and the sound of metal scraping against asphalt as cars kerplunk into potholes.
But for all of the racket these potholes cause every spring — and all the money that City Hall dumps into street resurfacing every year — Kansas City’s streets may only become more of a problem in the future.
Posted inEconomics, Local Government
The multi-million dollar cost behind eliminating free bus fares in Kansas City
Takeaways: The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority could soon stick riders with fares again — after spending millions on modern fare boxes. Facing a $12 million to $15 million gap in its budget, the agency has been talking about reintroducing bus fares, three years after becoming the first major U.S. city to make public transit free. […]
Posted inLocal Government
Fare-free buses might be good for Kansas Citians’ health
Takeaways: Almost four years after Kansas City became the first major American city to completely abandon bus fares, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority may go back to making riders pay. But researchers studying the public health effects of free-to-ride buses suggest considering a bigger picture before hitting up riders for money. Public health researchers […]