FlippantCitizen wrote: ↑Tue Nov 01, 2022 10:15 pm
I wish the politics/mechanism could be in place for greenbelts around metros. Suburban sprawl reaching all the way to Lawrence will be the biggest mistake in 50-60 years that we are basically 100% guaranteed to make. Whether we include them in our MSA now is irrelevant to this, I know but the comment calls it to mind. Also the blackpilled notion that the state of Kansas will probably build heavy commuter rail between KC and Topeka sooner than Jackson County could ever get it together. Growth into KS can only be sprawl at this point.
It's kind of a double edged sword. Metro KC desperately needs to be more economically attached to Lawrence since it's really the only major university in the area, but yeah, the K-10 corridor is super sprawl.
I don't see Kansas ever building heavy rail though. I mean they have tracks along I-35 and the density to support it there and it's never really gotten any traction even after decades of studies. The most KS has been able to do in throw some signs on the intestate for buses to drive on shoulders. Then again, you are probably right, it would likely happen before Jackson County ever gets its act together.
Overall this is a good project for Metro KC. It's a far flung location, but KS actually brought in a major job creator from outside the region for once instead of just taking something from KCMO and these types of plants are typically in locations like this.
And I find it odd that Lawrence is not already part of the KC MSA. It's very attached to the KS side of the metro. Warrensburg should also be a part of the KC MSA, another university town that is very attached to the MO side of the metro. St Joe is more of a stand alone city so it makes more sense for them to be only part of the CMSA.