Main Street MAX

[MidtownGrrl]

I don't believe that work is specifically for BRT.

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In fairness to those on the board, I think I should 'out' myself:

A couple of the participants in this forum already know this, but I am employed in the marketing department of the KCATA. I'm not in management - just your average worker bee who's in the thick of things. My participation on this board is really that of a private citizen.

I won't be able to share any secret information, and for the sake of my continued employment, I probably won't give too many personal opinions about different aspects of the ATA's operation. Everybody here agrees with everything their employer does, right? However, while I have access to the forum, I will try to provide information.

I may 'use' information from here to try to do a better job. Then again, I may just ignore the criticisms. I hope this doesn't change the tone of conversation about public transit in KC.

[KCPowercat]

Here's a listing of the stops from North to South

-3rd & Grand (northern terminal)
-8th & Grand
-9th & McGee
-12th & McGee
-12th/13th & Grand (depending on north or south route)
-12th/13th & Main (depending on north or south route)
-13th & Wyandotte
-16th & Wyandotte
-20th & Main
-Union Station terminal on Main
-Crown Center (Grand & 23rd)
-29th & Main
-31st & Main
-Armour Rd & Main
-Westport Rd. & Main
-43rd & Main
-45th & Main
-47th & Main
-51st & Brookside
-UMKC Campus (oak stop)


Other notes....

-service to 75th would be 1/3 of the buses and be more of a local bus service than BRT.

-Proposed hours: 7 days a week, 5am - 1am.

-Service times: M-F rush hours, 10 minute buses; midday 15 minute; after 6pm 20 minutes. Saturday 15 minutes during day; Sunday 20 minutes.


I like the stops although I wish one came a little closer to the westside.....Quality Hill, but a 3-4 block walk is really nothing.



Now, let's name these stops, I really don't want them named the street intersections....my next post will be my proposed names.

[KCPowercat]

KC's proposed BRT stop names (in bold)


-3rd & Grand (City Market)
-8th & Grand (8th & Grand)
-9th & McGee (Government District)
-12th & McGee (City Hall)
-12th/13th & Grand (Sprint Center)
-12th/13th & Main (KC Live!)
-13th & Wyandotte (Convention Center)
-16th & Wyandotte (Performing Arts Center)
-20th & Main (Crossroads)
-Union Station terminal on Main (Union Station)
-Crown Center (Grand & 23rd) ((Crown Center)
-29th & Main (Union Hill)
-31st & Main (31st)
-Armour Rd & Main (Midtown)
-Westport Rd. & Main (Westport)
-43rd & Main (43rd)
-45th & Main (Arts Complex)
-47th & Main (Plaza)
-51st & Brookside (South Plaza)
-UMKC Campus (UMKC)


Anybody else?

[staubio]

Anyone know if the BRT will be bike friendly? I assume with this format there wouldn't be the bike racks on the front of the busses, but I hope they allow you to roll your bike onto the bus like light rail cars do.

[MidtownGrrl]

FYI: Online information and a map.

http://www.kcata.org/media/BRTFacts.htm

[KCPowercat]

now THAT'S service.

Midtown...so the buses will be pretty much what we have know just lower to the curb? I was hoping something a little more futurist.

[MidtownGrrl]

I think the official word these days is that they will be pretty similar to what exists now, at least in the eyes of the public. I think the August "design complete" includes the buses.

Basically, ATA sends out a request for proposals, asking manufacturers to tell us what they can make for us. In my personal opinion, I don't predict the drastic slope-nosed vehicles. I did propose that our body shop just build those onto whatever buses we get! I know we have looked at low-floor coach type buses. And somthing a little like what's on this homepage: http://www.newflyer.com/index.htm, without the middle door.

A lot of it will come down to cost and whether or not the bus can be manufactured by Summer 2005.

[KCPowercat]

I would take that...different enough from the normal buses to distinguish to the public that it's a "different" service...along with the paint job.

it just wouldn't be as long...as in no bendable part in the middle (not very "technical" term I know)

[KCforumer]

Anyone know if the BRT will be bike friendly? I assume with this format there wouldn't be the bike racks on the front of the busses, but I hope they allow you to roll your bike onto the bus like light rail cars do.

I jus' wish all of the current buses had bike racks. Hoping that buses you'll be riding have bike racks doesn't cut it.

[GRID]

Is that section being worked on between 18th and pershing, on main, going to be BRT lines? Or are they putting in an island or something?

No, thats just basic bridge rehab.

[GRID]

I don't believe that work is specifically for BRT.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In fairness to those on the board, I think I should 'out' myself:

A couple of the participants in this forum already know this, but I am employed in the marketing department of the KCATA. I'm not in management - just your average worker bee who's in the thick of things. My participation on this board is really that of a private citizen.

I won't be able to share any secret information, and for the sake of my continued employment, I probably won't give too many personal opinions about different aspects of the ATA's operation. Everybody here agrees with everything their employer does, right? However, while I have access to the forum, I will try to provide information.

I may 'use' information from here to try to do a better job. Then again, I may just ignore the criticisms. I hope this doesn't change the tone of conversation about public transit in KC.

That's cool, we do have an anonomous board . Could you at least tell them to put bike racks on the Blue Springs express route. They have ignored all of my requests to do so even though I would double the use of the racks by myself, JK. But really they rarely get used, and I would use it every day if I knew the bus would always have a rack.

[GRID]

Anyone know if the BRT will be bike friendly? I assume with this format there wouldn't be the bike racks on the front of the busses, but I hope they allow you to roll your bike onto the bus like light rail cars do.

I jus' wish all of the current buses had bike racks. Hoping that buses you'll be riding have bike racks doesn't cut it.

Yes, this sucks! Even the routes that are supposed to always have them sometimes don't like Ward Parkway.

[MidtownGrrl]

Even the routes that are supposed to always have them sometimes

If you feel like registering a complaint on this to metro@kcata.org (or 221-0660), be sure to have the time, date, route and bus number, if possible. I was responsible for the marketing of the Bike-N-Bus program, and it really irks me when they aren't on there, I'll make sure it goes to our complaint people and to the maintenance department. Even if you aren't on your bike that day, I'd like to know.

As for bikes on BRT, that's currently undecided.

[carfreekc]

FYI: Online information and a map.

http://www.kcata.org/media/BRTFacts.htm

I looked at that yesterday. I can understand, in one way, why the map only goes to 51st since service beyond that will be considered "local," not brt.

But there are an awful lot of people who depend on the 56 south of there who have no clue that their bus route won't exist as they know it after brt starts. This map doesn't help with that by not showing the rest of the route as local service. People are going to continue to think they'll just use the 56 as they do now and that brt will be something separate.

I hope the ATA has a concerted attempt planned to clarify--and reassure, since many of the people I know are elderly--how brt will affect their bus service south of 51st.

[dangerboy]

On at least some level, it feels like a bait and swtich to see the original promos with the sleek, train-like busses - and then to hear that they will probably just be regular busses with a different paint-job.

Corret me if I'm wrong, but wasn't part of the ATA's origional argument for BRT that it needed to stand out from the regular service and project a sene of permanency? Especially if it wanted to change public perception about the bus and attract new users and tourists? I don't see the design on that FAQ page turning many heads on people that are already used to ignoring the bus.

[MidtownGrrl]

Dangerboy, I'll answer this as best I can.

As I recall, there were several versions of buses shown, some of them further away from a traditional bus.

Corret me if I'm wrong, but wasn't part of the ATA's origional argument for BRT that it needed to stand out from the regular service and project a sene of permanency? Especially if it wanted to change public perception about the bus and attract new users and tourists? I don't see the design on that FAQ page turning many heads on people that are already used to ignoring the bus

I really don't feel I can answer this. The planning of BRT (and light rail planning before) is done by a separate department than our regular bus operations at the ATA. So, I have not really been involved in the information for BRT in the same way that I have been involved in information for the rest of the bus system.

I am trying to confirm that max@kcata.org is an active email address (it is listed on the BRT webpage). I think your questions should be addressed, but personally, it's not in my interest to give you the answers. Once I get confirmation that max@kcata.org is an active and working address, I will let you know.


Carfree said:

But there are an awful lot of people who depend on the 56 south of there who have no clue that their bus route won't exist as they know it after brt starts. This map doesn't help with that by not showing the rest of the route as local service. People are going to continue to think they'll just use the 56 as they do now and that brt will be something separate.

Agreed!

[KCPowercat]

I know Midtown can't really answer this but if the bus on the site she mentioned would be the style of bus MAX would be, then I think it would be different enough.

This is what she referenced (w/o the back portion)

[ignatius]

ATA is saying BRT will launch in July 2005.




MAX (Metro Area Express) is the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority’s (KCATA) new bus rapid transit line connecting River Market, Downtown, Crown Center and the Plaza area with fast, frequent, and easy to use all day service. It is being developed in partnership with the City of Kansas City, Missouri and opens in July 2005. See route map on right.

Benefits and Features

-Fast, frequent, direct MAX service linking the River Market, Government Center, Convention and Hotel District, Union Station/Crown Center, Midtown, and The Plaza
-Most traffic signals are coordinated with MAX service
-Exclusive lanes for MAX along some segments of route and at certain times of day
-Unique, easily identifiable passenger shelters
-New-look, low-floor MAX buses
-Frequent service: Every ten minutes during peak travel periods, every 15 minutes most other times
-Real time digital displays at MAX stops indicating next bus arrival and connecting bus service


Implementation Schedule
Public Information Meetings - Spring, 2004
Design Complete - August, 2004
Construction Schedule - Fall, 2004 - Spring, 2005
Begin MAX Operations - July, 2005


10 minute service will be a big improvement, as well as 1AM service. I like that it will have digital displays and stop light priority like LRT but I was under the impression that the buses would look like more like LRT. They look like standard buses.

Living on the Plaza and working Downtown, I'll certainly use it. Will you?

[tat2kc]

this will be a good starter route. I'll use it for sure.

[GRID]

A reply to an email I sent. This explains a lot about the types of buses they will use and why. I feel better about what they plan on doing now and why they have to do it, and I get my BS Express bike racks .



Thanks for your inquiry. We appreciate your interest. In regard to your question about bike racks on the Blue Springs buses, I have asked the Maintenance Department to respond to you on that. The Department is responsible for installing and maintaining bike racks, and for assigning buses each day.

The BRT buses will look different from the other buses in the ATA fleet. There will be a completely different, dramatic paint and color scheme including a special logo, MAX, which stands for Metro Area Express. That's what we will be calling this new service from now on. There will be physical changes, primarily to the front and rear of the bus, to create a more streamlined appearance. In fact, the manufacturer, Gillig, has developed these design changes specifically for Kansas City, with the expectation that other cities will want to purchase these vehicles in the future. American manufacturers have been slow to develop the look of several European vehicles which have attracted so much attention. The European vehicles are two to three times more expensive than the American vehicles. Adding to the difficulty of justifying that expense is the fact that federal transit funds are used to purchase vehicles, and there are federal "Buy America" regulations that make it virtually impossible to buy the European vehicles. The ATA will purchase 11 of the Gillig buses, the first in the country. They are manufactured in California. Many buses in the ATA fleet are manufactured by Gillig. The question about bike racks on the MAX vehicles is unresolved, but we are working on it. The issues are technical and aesthetic. With the new extended front end designs, there are some technical attachment and safety concerns. And, ironically, as we try to develop a more dramatic, clean and exciting look, the front of the bus is one of the key areas where that can be accomplished. There is some concern that the bike rack defeats that effort. We will continue to work toward resolving these issues.

Jim Pritchett