Clay Chastain coming back with light rail

[Highlander]

If you haven't been in KC for a long time, you may not remember or know about Chastain's opposition to the Union Station and Science City bi-state effort. My recall on the circumstances is a bit muddled but I seem to remember he forced a vote to have the bistate tax repealed and lost. He's been out to get Science City ever since and his one passing light rail plan went through Union Station at a location that required the destruction of the museum. He deliberately compromised his own plan by bringing the LR route through PVP to force the Science City issue. That pretty much explains what drives this guy. I am hoping his opposition to the Streetcar plan works in favor of getting the plan approved....but he could muddy the waters with more petition drives.

[kcmetro]

I wonder what this guy's psychiatric diagnosis is.

[KCMax]

I wonder what this guy's psychiatric diagnosis is.

I'm no doctor, but I think its called "egomania."

[Highlander]

I wonder what this guy's psychiatric diagnosis is.

I'm no doctor, but I think its called "egomania."

The man even has his own Wikepedia page

[DaveKCMO]

clay was rumored to appear at this week's streetcar proceedings, but never materialized.

[smh]

I could have sworn he was sitting right behind you in streetcar hearing day 1. But, of course, had he been he surely would have signed up to speak...

[taxi]

I felt his presence there, in spirit. Or maybe that was something I ate.

[kcjak]

Back in the news again, seeking a debate with Mayor James and Mike Sanders over rail plans:

http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/ch ... ail-plans/

[aknowledgeableperson]

Just ignore him. I know he won't go away but they should just say "no".

[KCMax]

CLAY CHASTAIN ON APPEAL AND PUSHING HIS NEW "GREEN" TRANSIT PLAN!!!

In order to provide the people a more green, prosperous, and transit-oriented city shall the City of Kansas City, Missouri impose a capital improvement sales tax of 1/4% and a transportation sales tax of 1/8%, both not to exceed 25 years, beginning in 2011, to help fund these improvements to the city's transit system:


* Construct a 22-mile light rail spine from Waldo to a Park & Ride (P&R) lot south of Kansas City International Airport...with electric shuttle service to the terminals...including stops at or near Brookside, UMKC, the Plaza, Westport, Penn Valley Park & Liberty Memorial, Union Station, the Downtown Power & Light District on Main Street, City Market, NKC, Vivion Road, Line Creek Park, and Zona Rosa generally following the Country Club right-of-way, Broadway, Main St., Burlington, North Oak Trafficway, and the Interurban right-of-way:

* Construct a 19-mile commuter rail line from south Kansas City to Union Station including stops at or near a P&R lot at Blue Ridge and Hwy. 71, a P&R lot at Blue Ridge and I-470, the Bannister redevelopment site, Swope Park, and the Truman Sports Complex generally following existing rail corridors and Truman Rd.:

* Construct an 8.5 mile streetcar line from the Kansas City Zoo to Union Station including stops at or near Research Medical Center, Citadel redevelopment site, Cleaver Blvd., 39th St., Troost Ave., Hospital Hill, and Crown Center generally following the Prospect Ave., Linwood Blvd., and Gilham Rd. corridor:

* Construct an electric shuttle bus and bikeway feeder network that will connect to all rail stations with the bikeways seperated from traffic and using where possible the grassy medians of city boulevards; and also use the tax proceeds to finance bonds and secure federal matching funds.

[chaglang]

Where are the flying gondolas? I WAS PROMISED FLYING GONDOLAS!

[pash]

.

[flyingember]

Chastain is back in the news...

Quid Pro Quo. Nice.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/b ... -deal.html

I still like the plan idea. I dislike the actual plan. What gets me is his lack of money skills.

2012: $2.5 billion plan with a 3/8-cent sales tax increase.
2006: a $1 billion plan with a 3/8-cent transportation sales tax taken from busses

It's just a power play by Chastain isn't it? There's no way he's so dense that he comes back 6 years later with the same amount of funding that wasn't enough then and a much bigger project and thinks the new project is workable.

[KCMax]

Didn't he already promise to go away 2-3 ballot measures ago?

[Demosthenes]

Jesus christ...

[kcmetro]

He needs to go to rehab. This has obviously become an unhealthy addiction for him.

[KCMax]

Appeals court turns down Chastain light rail plan

[DaveKCMO]

the biz journal article you can read for free, forever: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... tains.html

[flyingember]

the biz journal article you can read for free, forever: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... tains.html

I still think bigger is a better idea (ignoring that they can't get past a vote) but Chastain's latest two plans were just unrealistic.

[DaveKCMO]

well, the KCMO voters have disagreed... often.