OFFICIAL: Troost MAX

[DaveKCMO]

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2007/02/05/daily20.html

President Bush recommended to Congress on Tuesday a $1.4 billion financing package for big transit projects in fiscal 2008, including $6.3 million for a bus rapid transit line in Kansas City.

In a release, the U.S. Department of Transportation said the money would pay for a nine-mile bus rapid transit line along Troost Avenue, ending in downtown Kansas City. The proposed line, which would include 25 new stations and 15 new low-floor buses, would run one mile west of the city's existing bus rapid transit line.

Buses on Troost carry about 7,800 passengers each weekday, the highest ridership of any corridor in the region, the agency said. The projected new line, which would be complete in 2010, would add 1,200 riders a day.

[chingon]

Excellent.  Now if we can get the ATA to start calling all its lines "BRT" lines, with straight routes, and dedicated stops, we could build a functioning bus system, even if everyone whose ever seen a real BRT route knows we're just running a plain old bus system the way it ought to be run.

[dangerboy]

$6 million is cool and all, but don't they need around $20 million for the Troost BRT line? 

And please don't call it BRT, it's not.  It's just an express bus with arrival time displays.

[carfreekc]

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/s ... ily20.html
In a release, the U.S. Department of Transportation said the money would pay for a nine-mile bus rapid transit line along Troost Avenue, ending in downtown Kansas City. The proposed line, which would include 25 new stations and 15 new low-floor buses, would run one mile west of the city's existing bus rapid transit line.

Yo, Biz J/USDOT, Troost is east of MAX.

Or maybe we'll be getting a State Line surprise? 

[markf]

$6 million is cool and all, but don't they need around $20 million for the Troost BRT line? 

And please don't call it BRT, it's not.  It's just an express bus with arrival time displays.

Shhhh!  We have to call it BRT if we want federal dollars.  We'll just keep it a secret that BRT stands for Buses Running on Troost.

[DaveKCMO]

been looking at the #25 route lately, thinking about how the BRT upgrade will change things, if at all. here's the current route: Troost 25 Weekday Route.

my questions:
- how will riders distinguish between the main street MAX route and the troost one? will there be a different color scheme? will it be called something else (MAX2, T-MAX)?
- is the city planning to change the streets through TMC to two-way? right now, the 25 alternates between charlotte (one-way south) and holmes (one-way north). keeping this configuration would require two shelters, similar to the 11th and 12th street situation for the current MAX route (although i don't think there are proper shelters on 11th street?).
- does anyone know there the more frequent service line ends? current max route is more frequent between plaza and river market.
- would it be possible for the two MAX routes to connect at the 3rd and grand stop?
- will the addition of the second MAX route affect the current MAX route (less snaking around through downtown)?
- right now, the 25 doesn't go north of 11th street. the ATA has taken down their system map, but are there any buses that go into columbus park? seems like an underserved area currently.

[staubio]

- right now, the 25 doesn't go north of 11th street. the ATA has taken down their system map, but are there any buses that go into columbus park? seems like an underserved area currently.

The 126 East 5th Street route is the only one I can think of.

http://www.kcata.org/_kcatadata/mapdisp ... 126mwk.gif

Obviously it isn't ideal for anyone coming from further south than the loop as you'd have to transfer to it in the River Market and you might as well walk at that point.

It would be cool if the Troost MAX could come up to 5th and terminate at the Park and Ride in the River Market with a stop in Columbus Park.  That would change the complexion and perceived accessibility of the neighborhood dramatically.

[enough]

^^ dave, i think all of your questions are yet to be answered.  

about all that can be said with much certainty right now is that troost brt will operate on troost between 27th and 75th.  routing north of 27th is a major issue, as is how far south of 75th to extend the brt service.

i expect there to be a separate local troost route much like the present one, only with less frequent service.  it would continue to serve truman medical center, potentially freeing up troost brt to take a more direct route to downtown, perhaps via crown center.

the issue of whether troost brt would use the same max buses is also undecided.  very early talk assumed they might use articulated buses to accommodate the higher ridership on troost -- currently double that in the max corridor.  i haven't heard anything about what kind of buses recenty.

a major unknown is the effect of light rail -- whatever alignment is ultimately selected -- on troost brt.  if local transit money is limited, as it looks like it's going to be, then troost brt might be implemented in the form of relatively low-cost service improvements without some of the more costly capital improvement along the way.

frankly, i think service on troost could be significantly improved simply by establishing full-day express or limited service -- stopping every half mile rather than every one-eighth mile -- to supplement a scaled-back local service.  

that's what i know -- and perhaps a tiny bit more.

btw, can you separate some of these recent posts into a new *troost brt* topic?  there's going to be a lot more discussion about it in the future, and it'd be good to keep it separate from ongoing discussion of max.

thanks.

[DaveKCMO]

we've seen some of this info before, but this is a more holistic view of the plan.

http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/Small_ ... S_2008.doc

Missouri:  Kansas City/Troost Corridor BRT

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) is proposing to construct and operate an approximately nine-mile long, street-running BRT line along Troost Avenue, terminating in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.  The Troost Corridor BRT project includes 25 new stations with a real-time passenger information system, signal prioritization, and the purchase of 15 low-floor, branded vehicles.  The proposed service would operate with ten-minute headways during the peak period.  The project qualifies as a Very Small Start, as defined in the Interim Guidance and Instructions for Small Starts.

The Troost Avenue corridor contains the greatest population density in the Kansas City region, as well as major employment and entertainment centers such as the CBD, the Hospital Hill Medical Complex, Stower’s Medical Institute, the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Rockhurst University, and the Federal/Honeywell complex.   

In 2001, KCATA and the City of Kansas City, Missouri, completed planning activities and identified two main corridors in need of transit improvement.  The first corridor ran north-south along Main Street, and the second along Troost Avenue.  LRT was proposed as a transportation solution for each of these corridors, while identifying BRT as an alternative improvement strategy should light rail prove to be financially infeasible.  Light rail was rejected by area voters in 2001 as too costly; subsequently, BRT was selected as the preferred alternative for each corridor.   

SAFETEA-LU Section 3043(b)(11) authorized the Southtown BRT project for final design and construction.  The capital cost for the nine-mile, street-running BRT line along Troost Avenue is estimated to be $30.73 million, of which KCATA is seeking $24.58 million, or 80.0 percent, in Small Starts funding.  Congress has appropriated $12.06 million for the project through FY 2006.  FTA recommends $6.26 million in Small Starts funding for the project in FY 2008.

[GRID]

But why will it take till 2010 to get it going?  It's not light rail, and if it's like the existing max, it's not even real brt.  At this rate....Ah nevermind.

[DaveKCMO]

not sure what took the star so long to report this, but here it is anyway...

Troost may get a rapid bus line

The project would be similar to the Metro Area Express, or MAX, which runs from the Country Club Plaza to downtown. Like the MAX, the new line should cut the time of a bus commute by 25 percent.

The MAX, which began service in 2005, has been credited with increasing bus ridership 30 percent in the Main Street corridor in the line’s first year.

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority officials said this was the first time they have had a project included in the president’s proposed budget.

“That made the job a lot easier for our congressional delegation to get the money,” said Dick Jarrold, the chief project engineer for the agency.

Even if the ATA cannot replace the money that now pays for bus service, the Troost line still would have a strong service level because the current Troost route is the busiest in the city, he said.

The proposed rapid bus line probably would cover eight or nine miles along the current Troost route, which extends 13 miles from downtown south to Bannister Mall.

Jarrold said planners are trying to figure how to align the rapid bus route, particularly from Hospital Hill to downtown. They also must decide whether to run the line to Bannister Mall or leave that to the local bus service, which would make many more stops. A rider survey also is planned.

[bahua]

I think an express route of Troost is a foolish idea. The 25 is probably the busiest route in KC, but it's not because people are trying to get from downtown to Bannister Mall. The majority of the riders get on because of its local service. They'll get on at 31st, and get off at 47th, for example.

[staubio]

I think an express route of Troost is a foolish idea. The 25 is probably the busiest route in KC, but it's not because people are trying to get from downtown to Bannister Mall. The majority of the riders get on because of its local service. They'll get on at 31st, and get off at 47th, for example.

So?  They still can using BRT.

I think it is critical.  Because of all the local stops, the Troost takes FOREVER because it is so popular.  I don't think people will stop travelling that cooridor because they can't get on every block.  Maybe it'll stop people who treat it like a moving sidewalk, but I think this cooridor will be a hit.

[DaveKCMO]

this brings up a good question... why doesn't the 57 follow the MAX route exactly as the local option? it would certainly improve overall service to have the 57 going all the same places and running at alternate times. either that, or move the 57 completely to oak/gillham for the entire length of the city (thus eliminating the 55 altogether).

back to topic, i really hope the troost BRT is extended to downtown or at least crown center/union station in its initial phase.

[kard]

back to topic, i really hope the troost BRT is extended to downtown or at least crown center/union station in its initial phase.

Maybe it depends on who's definition of "Downtown" we're using, but:

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) is proposing to construct and operate an approximately nine-mile long, street-running BRT line along Troost Avenue, terminating in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

[DaveKCMO]

yes, good point. the loop to 47th is about 5 miles.

[ShowMeKC]

As an aside, not to create a discussion/debate:
The DT council's definition of Downtown recently broadened to include the West Side, West Bottoms, and Troost corridor to 31st street. Don't ask me why lol

[kard]

As an aside, not to create a discussion/debate:
The DT council's definition of Downtown recently broadened to include the West Side, West Bottoms, and Troost corridor to 31st street. Don't ask me why lol

Sigh.  Soon we won't be able to smartly reply to non-city folks when they call "downtown" the "city" because they'll be one and the same.

[DaveKCMO]

might as well throw the plaza in there since most transplants think that really is kansas city's downtown. i hear it all the time...

[markf]

As an aside, not to create a discussion/debate:
The DT council's definition of Downtown recently broadened to include the West Side, West Bottoms, and Troost corridor to 31st street. Don't ask me why lol

I'll tell you why.  For the money.  The MO Downtown Economic Stimulus Act (MODESA) provides state tax incentives for "Downtown Revitalization."  The loophole is it's up to a local authority to determine what the boundaries of a downtown are.