Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders sees Omaha in his nightmares.
He dreads the day that he and his family visit Nebraska's largest city and board a train to get around, thanks to a big pile of money delivered by the U.S. government.
And it's not just Omaha that keeps Sanders awake. It happens when he imagines rail projects in Denver and Indianapolis, both subsidized by his federal income taxes. Meanwhile, his hometown is stuck in the Bus Age. To live here is to wonder if a city father made a pact with a devil that invested heavily in tire companies.
Sanders wants the bad dreams to end. As he sees it, the federal government may dole out between $30 billion and $50 billion for rail transit in the next year. Then the grants will dry up, as Washington tries to reckon the national debt. The next federal transit bill represents one last orgy before the Viagra runs out. Sanders wants the region to join the fun.
"Either we are in line to receive some of these dollars," he says, "or we are not in line to receive some of these dollars."
He is addressing a group of lunch-digesting Rotarians at the Drumm Farm Golf Club in Independence, and dispensing a shortened version of the plan that he has spent months promoting in conference rooms and union halls. Speaking at his trademark 200-words-a-minute clip, he describes the concept that he calls "regional rapid rail," a plan that would take advantage of Kansas City's underused and abandoned rail lines to connect residential areas, jobs and attractions.
It's a tantalizing proposal. The 134-mile system crosses the state line, puts Union Station back to work and delivers Chiefs fans to within 600 feet of Arrowhead Stadium. Those $110 cab rides from KCI to Lee's Summit? They'll seem downright insane from the comfort of a diesel-powered railcar.
When he rolled out the concept last fall, he said the federal government would cover the entire $1 billion capital cost of the project. Over time, reality has worn down the optimistic shine of Sanders' presentation. He acknowledges today that residents may need to come up with a 20-percent match in funds.
At Drumm Farm, however, he holds tight to the idea that Kansas City has been transit-starved for so long, the feds might cover the full bill.
"Frankly, a billion bucks is a drop in the bucket compared to what they've done to fund transit plans all throughout America," he says. "Our plan is very competitive. Our request is, 'We don't want a local match. We think we deserve these dollars back in the Greater Kansas City area.'"
The federal government, though, doesn't think any rail project "deserves" full funding. Federal grants typically cover 50 to 60 percent of costs, even on more humble bus projects. In addition to the local match in capital costs, area taxpayers would have to kick in a subsidy to operate commuter trains, much as the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority relies on the sales tax to run the buses.
Such disheartening details rarely make their way into Sanders' spiel. That's why the pitch works, even for a group of Crown Vic-driving Rotarians. He talks about rail's potential to entice relocating businesses. And he makes it sound as though construction could start tomorrow, as if all that's left to do is name the whistle stops.
"They've engineered this down to the spike," he says of TranSystems, the Kansas City consulting company that helped design his vision.
Still, prospective train conductors have time to polish their résumés and cleanse their urine. The county only recently completed its application for a grant to merely study parts of the plan. The study would weigh the benefits of a commuter rail line in Jackson County along Interstate 70, with a branch to Lee's Summit.
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Yes, too many aa that dont work and have 30 kids to get a bigger welfare check and food stamps. And I forgot that they buy 300.00 cars and put 2500.00 wheels on. They do this by selling and smoking weed......aa = fed up city for a long time
St. Louis has it why can't we.
St. Louis is only 4 hours away but much more progressive and forward thinking than KC.
Yes, too many aa that dont work and have 30 kids to get a bigger welfare check and food stamps. And I forgot that they buy 300.00 cars and put 2500.00 wheels on. They do this by selling and smoking weed......aa = fed up city for a long time
St. Louis has it why can't we. St. Louis is only 4 hours away but much more progressive and forward thinking than KC.
I can only dream of a light rail in this city. The only time it passed the city council overturned it. The right-of-ways are there. The geography favors it. Plaza/ Westport/ Unionstation, downtown, River Market all in a nearly straight line. What is the first thing that comes to mind when going to ANY of these areas? PARKING. Satellite parking at rail stations? What a concept.
But alas, there is (and always has been) an adversarial spirit that rules this metro. Burbs vs Inner City, MO vs KS, North of the river vs South, JoCo vs WyCo vs Jackson. No cooperation, only competition. Unified government has been VERY beneficial for WyCo/JoCo.
I have lost hope.
RECALL CITY COUNCIL
I can only dream of a light rail in this city. The only time it passed the city council overturned it. The right-of-ways are there. The geography favors it. Plaza/ Westport/ Unionstation, downtown, River Market all in a nearly straight line. What is the first thing that comes to mind when going to ANY of these areas? PARKING. Satellite parking at rail stations? What a concept. But alas, there is (and always has been) an adversarial spirit that rules this metro. Burbs vs Inner City, MO vs KS, North of the river vs South, JoCo vs WyCo vs Jackson. No cooperation, only competition. Unified government has been VERY beneficial for WyCo/JoCo. I have lost hope. RECALL CITY COUNCIL
Not this BS again! This town and area is too stupid to ever get this off the ground. We voted for this once and got it passed. Then the mayor had it nullified. Then it was put up for a vote and shot down. Trying to appropriate Federal funds for rail in this town is a joke.
This town had a great trolley/street car system before it was killed in the late 50's. Much of the right of way is still there or made into paths, so re-establishing it would not and should not be a monumental task. There has been ample time for this to get off the ground in previous years. But now it has become a case of too little too late. And a fine example of how short sighted everyone in this area is.
This town doesn't deserve any kind of rail project let alone money for it. That money deserves to go to cities that have a project in the works or is already established. Kansas City doesn't suffer from defeatism by the hands of others. It is self-inflicted!
Not this BS again! This town and area is too stupid to ever get this off the ground. We voted for this once and got it passed. Then the mayor had it nullified. Then it was put up for a vote and shot down. Trying to appropriate Federal funds for rail in this town is a joke. This town had a great trolley/street car system before it was killed in the late 50's. Much of the right of way is still there or made into paths, so re-establishing it would not and should not be a monumental task. There has been ample time for this to get off the ground in previous years. But now it has become a case of too little too late. And a fine example of how short sighted everyone in this area is. This town doesn't deserve any kind of rail project let alone money for it. That money deserves to go to cities that have a project in the works or is already established. Kansas City doesn't suffer from defeatism by the hands of others. It is self-inflicted!
Mike is on the right track. The future is rail Not highways. Look at other successful cities. Greater Kansas City needs to step up and be a leader.
Mike is on the right track. The future is rail Not highways. Look at other successful cities. Greater Kansas City needs to step up and be a leader.
Yeah right....Mike is a tool....kc will always be a fd up city because their are too many aa that don't work and get food stamps.
Yeah right....Mike is a tool....kc will always be a fd up city because their are too many aa that don't work and get food stamps.
Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance, as did many others, supported this concept for alternatives analysis funding primarily because it's sound and reasonable along with the bus rapid transit plans in both Kansas and Missouri and the streetcar from River Market to Crown Center.
Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance, as did many others, supported this concept for alternatives analysis funding primarily because it's sound and reasonable along with the bus rapid transit plans in both Kansas and Missouri and the streetcar from River Market to Crown Center.
I know this is THE PITCH and you are suppose to be all skeptical and all, but this article really just comes across as typical KC defeatism and self-loathing. "We are not big/smart enough to support a transit system", people say. I call bullshit on anyone who has this belief. The city voted for a MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE and MUCH MORE ADVENTUROUS transit in 2006 (unfortunately it was a bit unrealistic).
This city deserves to have great transit again, and I know THE PITCH wants to spoil the party but the truth is this is the first time in forever that city officials have supported a transit plan on this level.
Go Mike Sanders! Commuter trains to Union Station are the first step towards restoring transit sanity in Kansas City.
I know this is THE PITCH and you are suppose to be all skeptical and all, but this article really just comes across as typical KC defeatism and self-loathing. "We are not big/smart enough to support a transit system", people say. I call bullshit on anyone who has this belief. The city voted for a MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE and MUCH MORE ADVENTUROUS transit in 2006 (unfortunately it was a bit unrealistic). This city deserves to have great transit again, and I know THE PITCH wants to spoil the party but the truth is this is the first time in forever that city officials have supported a transit plan on this level.
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