KCATA COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS Proposed Service Changes
Revised: March 25, 2012
Prepared for: Prepared by:
[Page intentionally left blank.]
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1 2. OVERVIEW OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES ...... 3 Service Design Changes ...... 3 Key Corridor Network ...... 3 More Frequent Main Street MAX Service ...... 5 Expand Service In Underserved Areas ...... 5 Make Service Simpler, More Direct, And Faster ...... 6 Reduce Duplication ...... 6 Improve Express Service ...... 6 Convert Metroflex Service To Fixed‐Route Service ...... 7 Introduce Scheduled Departures And Arrivals On Metroflex Service ...... 7 Discontinue Very Low Ridership Services ...... 8 Renumber and Rename Routes ...... 9 Schedule Changes ...... 9 Adjust Service Frequencies...... 9 Adjust Service Spans ...... 10 Operate Service More Consistently ...... 10 Projected Impacts ...... 11 3. SYNOPSIS OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES ...... 13 4. CHANGES BY ROUTE ...... 21 12 12th Street ...... 22 24 Independence ...... 24 24X Independence Express ...... 26 25 Troost Local ...... 28 26 Troost MAX ...... 30 27 27th Street ...... 32 28 Blue Ridge ...... 34 28X Blue Ridge Express ...... 36 30 Northeast ...... 38 31 31st Street ...... 40 35 35th Street ...... 42
Page i Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
37 Gladstone ...... 44 37XX North Broadway Express ...... 46 38 Meadowbrook/Antioch Center ...... 48 38X Meadowbrook Express ...... 50 39 39th Street ...... 52 47 Roanoke ...... 54 51 Broadway ...... 56 51X Ward Parkway Express ...... 58 53 Armour‐Swope Parkway ...... 60 54 Armour‐Paseo ...... 62 55 Rockhill ...... 64 56X Red Bridge Express ...... 66 57 South Oak ...... 68 58 Main Street Max ...... 70 71 Prospect ...... 72 108 Indiana ...... 74 109 9th Street ...... 76 110 Woodland/Brooklyn ...... 78 121 Cleveland/Antioch ...... 80 123 23rd Street ...... 82 126 East 5th Street ...... 84 129 I‐29 Express ...... 86 132 Gracemor ...... 88 133 Vivion/Antioch ...... 90 133X Vivion‐Antioch Express ...... 92 135 Winnwood‐69 Highway ...... 94 136 Boardwalk/Antioch Center ...... 96 137 Metro North/Antioch Connector ...... 98 142 North Oak ...... 100 155 55th Street ...... 102 156 Red Bridge ...... 104 163 63rd Street ...... 106 173 Casino Cruiser ...... 108 Page ii Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
175 75th Street ...... 109 229 Tiffany Springs Metroflex ...... 112 237 Gladstone/Antioch Metroflex ...... 114 243 Antioch/Barry Road ...... 116 247 Westside Metroflex ...... 118 251 TMC Lakewood Connector ...... 120 253 Raytown Metroflex ...... 122 296 Bannister/Hillcrest Metroflex ...... 124 298 South Kansas City Metroflex ...... 126 471 71 Highway Express ...... 128 A. CHANGES TO INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS ...... A‐1
Page iii
[Page intentionally left blank.]
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
1. INTRODUCTION
Cities are dynamic places that are always changing, and this is the case in Kansas City. In different parts of the city, population and employment has grown, moved, and sometimes contracted. The places that residents, workers, and visitors travel to and from have changed, as well as the number of people who travel between these areas. The days and times that people travel have also changed.
To ensure that Kansas City’s transit services reflect the changes that have been occurring in Kansas City, the Kansas City Transportation Authority (KCATA) undertook a comprehensive evaluation of its services. This Comprehensive Service Analysis, or CSA, consisted of:
1. A market analysis that assessed the demand for transit service throughout Kansas City 2. A detailed evaluation of the performance of all KCMO routes 3. The development and evaluation of alternative service scenarios 4. The recommended service changes that are presented in this document
The CSA also included a stakeholder input process that consisted of web input, public meetings, and a series of meetings with Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO) City Councilors and staff. Based on the input received though the public process and the city meetings, and as summarized in Appendix A, a large number of changes were made to the initial recommendations. The final recommendations presented in the following sections reflect that input, and are designed to:
. Make service easier to use . Make service easier to understand . Make service more convenient . Make service faster and more direct . Better match service to demand
Through these improvements, KCATA will provide better service to the large majority of existing riders, attract new riders to the system, and improve system productivity.
Page 1
[Page intentionally left blank.]
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
2. OVERVIEW OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES
The recommended service changes consist of a large number of different types of service design and schedule changes designed to work together to build a stronger system:
Service Design . Develop Key Corridor network . Realign service to improve reliability and directness . Expand service to new areas . Consolidate duplicative services . Improve express service . Discontinue some very poorly utilized services . Renumber and rename some routes
Schedule . Service frequencies and spans to better match demand . More consistent schedules . Scheduled MetroFlex connections
These changes are summarized below, and described on a route‐by‐route basis in Chapter 4.
SERVICE DESIGN CHANGES
Key Corridor Network
In cities with rapid transit and light rail lines, rail lines typically form the backbone of those systems, and other services designed around the rail lines. The rail lines also provide frequent seven day a week service that provide excellent service in the highest demand areas.
At present, KCATA does not have a rail system around which to develop its bus services around, but it does have two BRT lines and a number of very high ridership routes:
Main Street MAX Troost MAX 12 12th Street 24 Independence 31 31st Street 39 39th Street 51 Broadway 71 Prospect
Page 3 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
Figure 1: Key Corridor Network
129 1‐29 Express 142 North Oak
101 State 24 Independence
12 12th Street
51 Broadway
31 31st Street Main St MAX
Troost MAX 39 39th Street
71 Prospect
Today, although not presented or considered as such, these routes do provide the underlying structure the KCATA system and each of these routes provides frequent seven day a week service. The formal designation of these routes as “Key Corridor Routes” would help increase awareness of the system’s most important routes. The changes presented in this plan also
Page 4 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
orient other services around the Key Corridor routes in order to help passengers make connections throughout the system.
In addition, to provide Key Corridor service throughout KCATA’s service area, three additional routes would be designated as Key Corridor routes:
101 State Avenue 129 I‐29 142 North Oak
Service on these three routes would be expanded to provide seven day a week service, with the intention to improve service frequencies to similar levels as on other Key Corridor routes. The Key Corridor Network is illustrated in Figure 1.
More Frequent Main Street MAX Service
Currently, Route 57 South Oak operates along the same general alignment as Main Street MAX to provide local service between MAX stops. However, a large majority of riders walk to the MAX stops and then board the first bus to arrive, whether it be Main Street MAX or Route 57. To reflect much higher demand for Main Street MAX service, Route 57 service between Country Club Plaza and downtown would be incorporated into Main Street MAX. With this change, service frequencies on Main Street MAX would be improved during the midday from every 15 minutes to 10 minutes and at night from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes.
Expand Service in Underserved Areas
The market analysis that was conducted at the beginning of the study indicated that there are some areas where there is significant demand for transit that is not well served, particularly in the Northland, Hickman Mills, and the Westside. To improve service to these areas:
Route 37XX North Broadways Express would be extended to New Mark and Gashland. Service in the I‐29 corridor would be greatly expanded (see Route 129 I‐29 Express and Route 229 Tiffany Springs MetroFlex sections). Route 142 North Oak would be extended to Zona Rosa. Troost MAX would be extended to Hickman Mills (with Saturday and Sunday service). Service between southern areas of the city and Ward Parkway Center would be improved (see Route 54 Armour‐Paseo and 51 Broadway sections). Service to the Westside would be upgraded from MetroFlex to regularly scheduled fixed‐route service (see Route 27 27th Street, 123 23rd Street, and 247 Westside MetroFlex sections).
Page 5 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
Make Service Simpler, More Direct, and Faster
In many cases, changes can be made to make service simpler, as well as more direct, which would make service faster:
12 12th Street: To simplify service, Route 12 would be split into two routes: 12th Street and a new Route 15 Truman Road. 27 27th Street: To make service more direct and faster to and from Crown Center, Route 27’s alignment would be straightened through Hospital Hill. 24 Independence: To make service more direct and faster, service to and from Independence would be shifted from Winner Road to Independence Avenue. 71 Prospect: To make service simpler and more convenient for Government District workers, all service would operate via the Government District. 173 Casino Cruiser: To make service faster and to provide year‐round service to the Worlds of Fun area, service would operate via I‐29/I‐35 and 210 Highway.
Reduce Duplication
In a number of cases, multiple routes serve similar areas, and compete with each other more than they compliment each other. The consolidation of duplicative routes would both improve service and reduce operating costs:
12 12th Street and 24X Independence: These two routes would be replaced by a new Route 15 Truman Road route that would simplify service and reduce operating costs. 37 Gladstone, 38X Meadowbrook Express, 133X Vivion/Antioch Express: These three routes would be consolidated into a new Route 36X Metro North – Gladstone – Antioch Center – Downtown that would provide much more compelling express service between Antioch Center and downtown Kansas City. 51X Ward Parkway Express and 56X Red Bridge Express: These two routes would be consolidated into a single route that would provide additional peak period service. 53 Armour‐Swope, 54 Armour‐Paseo, and 108 Indiana: Route 53 Armour‐Swope would be consolidated with Routes 54 and 108 to simplify service and expand service coverage. 57 South Oak and 156 Red Bridge: Route 156 would be combined with the southern half of Route 57 to provide one‐seat service to Country Club Plaza from areas south of Waldo.
Improve Express Service
Most existing express routes provide either very limited service or operate more as peak period‐only local routes than express routes. A number of changes would be made to make express service faster and more compelling:
Page 6 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
29X I‐29 Express: New express service would be implemented in the I‐29 corridor between Boardwalk Square and Crown Center via the Financial District. 37 Gladstone, 38X Meadowbrook Express, 133 Vivion/Antioch Express: As described above, these three routes would be consolidated into a new Route 36X Metro North – Gladstone – Antioch Center – Downtown. The new route would operate via I‐29/I‐35 rather than on local roads through North Kansas City to provide much faster service. Service would also be extended to Crown Center. 37XX North Broadway Express: As described above, this route would be extended northward to New Mark and Gashland. Its alignment would also be straightened to make service faster, and the route would be extended to Crown Center. 51X Ward Parkway Express and 56X Red Bridge Express: As also described above, these two routes would be consolidated into a single route. The consolidated route would increase service from one or two trips to three trips in each direction.
Convert MetroFlex Service to Fixed‐Route Service
To provide additional service, more consistent service, and to eliminate the need for passengers to make reservations for service, MetroFlex services in the I‐29 corridor and in the Westside would be upgraded to fixed‐route service:
Route 229 Tiffany Spring MetroFlex would be replaced with an extension of Route 129 I‐ 29 service to Kansas City International Airport. The improved Route 129 would provide service to all three airport terminals from early to late seven days a week. Route 247 Westside Flex would be replaced by changes to Routes 27 27th Street and 123 23rd Street. These two routes would provide more frequent service that operated that operates for longer hours and direct service to downtown, Union Station, and Crown Center.
Introduce Scheduled Departures and Arrivals on MetroFlex Service
At present, MetroFlex riders must make reservations for all trips. To make service more convenient and improve connections with fixed‐route service, MetroFlex service would be reconfigured to include scheduled arrivals and departures at one major transfer point in each MetroFlex area. MetroFlex service would be scheduled to arrive depart at the transfer points at times that would facilitate transfers with major fixed‐route services. Passengers who board MetroFlex services at the transfer points would no longer need to make a reservation for service and could instead simply tell the driver where they wanted to go. (Passengers making trips to the transfer locations, however, would still need to make reservations, as otherwise, their pickup location would not be known). Schedule arrivals and departures would be implemented for the following routes at the following locations:
Page 7 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
237 Gladstone/Antioch MetroFlex: Antioch Center 253 Raytown MetroFlex: Bannister Road at Blue Ridge Boulevard 296 Bannister/Hillcrest MetroFlex: Bannister Road at Blue Ridge Boulevard 298 South Kansas City MetroFlex: Waldo
Discontinue Very Low Ridership Services
On some routes, ridership is very low, and below the levels required by KCATA’S Service Guidelines. In many cases, changes were identified that would increase ridership to acceptable levels. However, in other cases, there are no possible changes that would significantly increase ridership, and service would be either partially or entirely discontinued (see also Table 1):
Table 1: Service Discontinuations All Service Saturday Service Variant Service 55 Rockhill 110 Woodland/Brooklyn 129 Tiffany Springs Variant 126 East 5th St 136 Boardwalk/Antioch 133 Iron Road Variant 137 Metro North/Antioch 243 Antioch/Barry Rd 298 South KC MetroFlex
Route 55 Rockhill, which carries fewer than 13 passenger per hour, and where ridership continues to decrease due to the introduction of nearby Troost MAX service. Route 110 Woodland/Brooklyn Saturday service, which carries only 60 passengers. Route 126, East 5th Street, which carries only 108 passengers per day, most of whom travel to and from the Northeast Industrial District. Route 126 would be discontinued with nearly all passengers served by an extension of Route 30 Northeast to the Northeast Industrial District or by Route 24 Independence. Route 129 I‐29 Express’ Tiffany Springs variant, which carries no riders on its unique segment. Route 133 Vivion/Antioch’s Iron Road variant, which carries only six riders reduces service to the core of North Kansas City. Route 136 Boardwalk Connector Saturday service, which carries only 20 total passengers and 5.7 passengers per hour. Route 137 Metro North/Antioch Connector Saturday service, which serves only 15 riders. Route 243 Antioch/Barry Road Saturday service, which carries only 7.2 passengers per vehicle hour. Route 298 South Kansas City MetroFlex Saturday service, which carries only 29 riders.
Page 8 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
Renumber and Rename Routes
In conjunction with the service changes, some routes will be renumbered and/or renamed to improve clarity and consistency among services. Changes will include:
Changes to route names to improve clarity: Most routes are currently named based upon the major street along which they operate–for example Route 35 35th Street). However, some routes are named after streets that comprise only a minor portion of the alignment, or that routes will no longer operate along following implementation of the CSA changes. In these cases, the names will be revised to more accurately reflect the routes’ operation–for example, from Route 47 Roanoke to Route 47 Broadway/47th Street. Changes to route number numbers to improve consistency: – Local Fixed‐Route Service: KCATA, for the most part, uses two digit route numbers for routes that are primarily operated with large buses, and three digit one‐hundred series numbers are used for routes that are operated primarily with small buses. All local fixed‐route services will be designated with a two digit number, and in most cases the changes will consist of dropping the “1” from the one‐hundred series numbers–for example, Route 155 55th Street will become 55 55th Street. – MetroFlex Service: All MetroFlex services are currently numbered with three digit two‐hundred series numbers. This will continue to be the case, and the few local fixed‐route services that now have two‐hundred series numbers will be renamed with two digit numbers. – Express Service: Express service currently uses three different conventions: an “X” or “XX” suffix or a three digit four‐hundred series number. All express service will be numbered with a “X” suffix–for example, Route 471 71 Highway Express will become Route 71X.
Note that most route numbers and names will not change. Where numbers and/or names will change, the specific changes are still being determined.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
Adjust Service Frequencies
On some routes, based on current and projected ridership levels, too much service is provided, while on others, too little service is provided. Throughout the system, service frequencies would be adjusted to better match service levels with demand. An example of how this would be done for Route 35 is shown in Figure 2; specific changes by route are listed in the route‐by‐ route sections. For the entire system:
More frequent service would be provided on 21 routes Less frequent service would be provided on 6 routes
Page 9 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
Service frequencies would be shifted between time periods on another six routes
Figure 2: Route 35 Service Frequency Change Current Proposed
Current Route 35: Too much service in peaks; too little midday Proposed Route 35: Less service in peaks; more in midday
Adjust Service Spans
In a similar manner as with service frequencies, based on demand, some routes begin service too early or too late, and/or end service too early or too late. To better match service levels with demand, the start and end times of routes were adjusted based on KCATA’s Service Guidelines. An example of how this would be done for Route 27 is shown in Figure 3; specific changes by route are listed in the route‐by‐route sections. Changes to all routes would be small, and for the entire system:
Slightly longer spans would be provided on 11 routes Slightly shorter spans would be provided on 20 routes
Figure 3: Route 27 Span of Service Change New Span of Service
Existing Route 27: Fewer than five riders on first and last trips; Proposed Route 27: Operate service from 6:00 AM to 6:00 pm
Page 10 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
Operate Service More Consistently
Some routes now operate with inconsistent schedules–for example, over the course of an hour, trips operate 15, 12, 20, and 13 minutes apart. To make schedules easier to remember, nearly all service would be scheduled to operate every 15, 20, 30, or 60 minutes. Service frequencies would vary by time period (for example, every 15 minutes during peak periods and every 30 minutes during the midday), but service would be scheduled to operate consistently within each time period.
PROJECTED IMPACTS
The recommended changes have been designed to provide better service to most existing riders, and to attract new passengers to transit. In total, with full implementation, the recommended changes are projected to:
. Maintain service to virtually all existing riders. . Provide equal or better service to large majority of existing riders. Nearly all of those who would receive less service would see only minor reductions. . Increase ridership. . Improve productivity in terms of passengers per vehicle hour. . Decrease operating costs per passenger.
IMPLEMENTATION
Implementation of the proposed changes will occur in April, July, and October of 2012 consistent with KCATA’s current schedule for implementing changes on a quarterly basis . The specific changes that will be implemented during each of these quarters are still being determined.
Page 11
[Page intentionally left blank.]
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
3. SYNOPSIS OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES
A summary of recommended changes in provided below. Additional detail and maps are provided in Chapter 4.
12 12th Street: To simplify service, Route 12 would be split into two routes: Route 12 that would operate primarily along 12th Street and a new Route 15 Truman Road that would operate primarily along Truman Road.
24 Independence: All Independence service will begin and end at the Independence MetroCenter, and service would be rescheduled to provide clockface headways. Daytime Saturday service levels between downtown Kansas City and Winner Road/Brookside Avenue would also be reduced to every 20 minutes to better match service levels with demand.
24X Independence Express: Route 24X would be replaced with a new Route 15 Truman Road, which would provide peak period service between Independence and Downtown Kansas City in a manner similar to Route 24X, but with more convenient schedules.
25 Troost Local: On weekdays, Route 25 operates to and from 75th Street and Route 26 Troost MAX operates to Bannister and Drury. On weekends, the pattern is reversed, and Route 25 operates to Bannister and Drury, while Route 26 Troost MAX only operates to 83rd Street. To provide simpler and more consistent service, the same service pattern will be used on all days, with Route 25 service to 83rd Street, and Route 26 Troost MAX service farther south to the end of the line. With the additional Route 26 Troost MAX service, Route 25 service would end on all days at between 6:30 and 7:00 pm. The start of weekend service would also be pushed back to 5:30 am.
26 Troost MAX: On weekdays, Route 25 operates to and from 83rd Street and Route 26 Troost MAX operates to and from Bannister and Drury (with short trips to and from 75th Street). On weekends, the pattern is reversed, and Route 25 operates to Bannister and Drury, while Route 26 Troost MAX only operates to 83rd Street. To provide simpler and more consistent service, the same service pattern will be used on all days, with Route 25 service to 83rd Street, and Route 26 Troost MAX service farther south to the end of the line. In addition, to improve service to Hickman Mills, Troost MAX would be extended eastward to Bannister Road and Blue Ridge Boulevard where a new transfer center will be developed.
27 27th Street: Service would be straightened through Hospital Hill and west end service would be extended to downtown Kansas City through Westside North to improve service to that area.
28 Blue Ridge: Route 28 service would be modified to operate all service between Blue Ridge Crossing and downtown Kansas City via 40 Highway, the 31st and Van Brunt transfer center, and I‐70 to provide faster service between Southeast Kansas City, Blue Ridge, and downtown Kansas
Page 13 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
City. (In conjunction with this change, Route 31 31st Street would also be extended to Blue Ridge Crossing to improve local service between Kansas City’s core areas and Blue Ridge Crossing.)
28X Blue Ridge Express: Route 28X’s 4:41 AM trip would be discontinued due to very low ridership. Evening rush hour service would be rescheduled to every 30 minutes to provide service over a longer timespan.
30 Northeast : Route 30 service would be extended to the Northeast Industrial District to replace Route 126 East Fifth Street service, which would be discontinued. Route 30’s weekday, Saturday, and Sunday span of service would also be reduced slightly to better match service levels with demand.
31 31st Street: Route 31 would be extended to Blue Ridge Crossing in addition to Route 28 Blue Ridge Crossing to provide more frequent and more consistent service between Kansas City core areas and Blue Ridge Crossing. Route 31’s service to the VA Hospital would instead be provided by Route 35 35th Street.
35 35th Street: Route 35’s eastern end service would be realigned to provide service via the VA Hospital in both directions and to provide service to Dunbar Apartments. Service frequencies and service spans would also be revised to better match service levels with demand (slightly less peak period service, but more midday service).
37 Gladstone: Route 37 would be replaced by a new Route 36X Metro North/Antioch Express route that would provide more service.
37XX North Broadway Express: Service would be extended at the route’s northern end to Gashland and New Mark. To better match service with demand, the morning span of service would be revised to 6:00 am – 7:00 am, and the 5:55 pm outbound trip would also be discontinued due to very low ridership.
38 Meadowbrook/Antioch Center: Route 38’s schedule would be adjusted to provide more consistent service frequencies and to alternate trips between the two outer legs (Gladstone and Vivion/Jackson).
38X Meadowbrook Express: Route 38X would be replaced by new 36X Metro North‐Antioch Center Express route that would provide faster and more frequent service, including direct service to Crown Center. Very low ridership limited service segments east and north of Antioch Center would be discontinued, and served instead by an expansion of Route 237 Gladstone‐ Antioch MetroFlex service.
39 39th Street: All layovers would be moved to the west end of the route to improve service for passengers riding along the eastern end loop. Stops would also be consolidated to make
Page 14 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
service faster and improve reliability. All early and late trips would operate the full length of the route.
47 Roanoke: To improve reliability, the eastern end of Route 47 would be paired with the current inner end of Route 51 Ward Parkway, and the outer end of Route 51 would be paired with the current inner end of Route 47. All service would operate the full length of the route, except for weekday night and Sunday service, which would operate between downtown and the Plaza. With the change:
. Service would operate between Blue Ridge Crossing and downtown via its existing alignment between Blue Ridge Crossing and the Plaza, and then to downtown via JC Nichols, Broadway, and Crown Center. . A combination of short and long trips would be provided. Short trips would operate to and from the Plaza, and long trips would operate the full length of the line.
51 Broadway: To improve reliability, the eastern end of Route 47 would be paired with the current inner end of Route 51 Ward Parkway, and the outer end of Route 51 would be paired with the current inner end of Route 47. Service would also be extended to Linden Hills. With the change:
. Service would operate between Linden Hills and downtown via Ward Parkway, KU Medical Center, Southwest Trafficway, and Crown Center. . A combination of short and long trips would be provided. Short trips would operate to and from the Plaza, and long trips would operate the full length of the line.
51X Ward Parkway Express: Routes 51X and 56X would be consolidated into a single route that would operate between Red Bridge and downtown Kansas City via Ward Parkway and provide more frequent service.
53 Armour‐Swope Parkway: Route 53 would be consolidated with Route 54 Armour‐Paseo and Route 108 Indiana. All inner end service would operate as Route 54, and outer end service south of Swope Parkway would be provided by an extension of Route 108 Indiana.
54 Armour‐Paseo: Route 54’s outer end would be realigned from Prospect Avenue to Ward Parkway Center via 85th Street. Service levels would also be adjusted to better match service levels with demand: less peak period service, but twice as much midday service.
55 Rockhill: Service would be discontinued due to very low ridership and the upgrade of nearby Troost MAX service. Service to Linden Hills and Holmes Road between Bannister Road and 99th Street would be replaced by extended Route 51 Broadway service.
Page 15 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
56X Red Bridge Express: Routes 51X and 56X would be consolidated into a single route that would operate between Red Bridge and downtown Kansas City via Ward Parkway and provide more frequent service.
57 South Oak: Service north of 47th Street would be consolidated with Main Street MAX in order to provide more frequent midday and evening MAX service. Service south of 47th Street would be combined with Route 156 Red Bridge to provide service from Red Bridge to Country Club Plaza via Waldo. Service would also be reduced to better match service levels with demand.
58 Main Street MAX: Midday service frequencies would be improved from every 15 minutes to 10 minutes and evening frequencies would be improved from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes.
71 Prospect: Late morning service frequencies would be improved from every 13 minutes to 10 minutes. The route would also be adjusted to operate all service via 11th and 12th Streets to provide better service to the Federal District.
108 Indiana: Route 108 would be extended to the Kansas City Zoo to replace Route 53 Armour‐ Swope Parkway outer end service. The route would also be reconfigured to provide two‐way access to Swope Health Center, the Swope Parkway Shopping Center, and Bruce Watkins Cultural Center. Midday service frequencies would also be improved.
109 9th Street: West end service would be extended to Quality Hill in lieu of current Route 12 service, and east end service would be rerouted and extended to the 31st and Van Brunt transfer center via Hardesty Avenue (since Route 109’s current alignment along 12th Street would be served by changes to Route 12) to expand service coverage. As part of this change, service along Winner Road would also be discontinued. Also, schedule changes would also be made to better match service levels with demand.
110 Woodland/Brooklyn: Service would be realigned to operate along Brooklyn Avenue instead of 18th and 44th Streets to improve directness. Weekday service levels would be adjusted to better match service levels with demand, and Saturday service would be discontinued due to very low ridership.
121 Cleveland/Antioch: A number of alignment changes would be made to improve directness and the spacing from Route 108 Indiana: (1) elimination of the deviation through the Northeast Industrial District, (2) a shift of service between St. John Avenue and Independence Avenue from Hardesty Avenue to Belmont, and (3) a shift of service between Truman Road and 45th Street from Cleveland Avenue to Jackson Avenue to expand service coverage to the east and serve part of Jackson Avenue that would no longer be served by Route 12.
Page 16 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
123 23rd Street: Service would be realigned to operate through Hospital Hill and to provide service to Westside South instead of Westside North (since Route 27 27th Street would be realigned to serve Westside North).
126 East 5th Street: Route 126 would be discontinued due to very low ridership to all points except the Northeast Industrial District. Service to that area would be provided instead by an extension of Route 30.
129 I‐29 Express: Service would be extended at both ends–to KCI at the north and Crown Center to the south—and all service would operate along a consistent alignment via Tiffany Springs Road, Prairie View Road, I‐29, 169 Highway, and Burlington Street. The revised route would serve all three airport terminals, provide better service to the Tiffany Springs area, and provide connections to and from other Northland locations. Service would be provided seven days a week from early morning until late night. In addition, a new express route, Route 29X, would also be implemented to provide peak period express service between Boardwalk Square and downtown Kansas City.
132 Gracemor: Route 132 would be realigned to operate along I‐29/I‐35 between Armour Boulevard and downtown to speed service, and service would be extended to Crown Center to expand service coverage.
133 Vivion/Antioch: Route 133’s alignment in downtown Kansas City would be streamlined to shorten running times sufficiently to make schedules more convenient. The Iron Street variant through North Kansas City would also be discontinued to due to low ridership and to simplify service.
133X Vivion/Antioch Express: Route 133X would be replaced by new 36X Metro North‐Antioch Center Express route that would provide faster and more frequent service, including direct service to Crown Center.
135 Winwood: Route 135 would be realigned to operate along I‐29/I‐35 between Armour Boulevard and downtown to speed service, and service would be extended to Crown Center to expand service coverage. Finally, the route’s schedule would be adjusted to better match work times.
136 Boardwalk/Antioch Connector Due to very low ridership but to maintain service for shopping, medical, and social trips, service would converted to weekday‐only midday‐only (from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm). Service frequencies would be improved from 120 minutes to 60 minutes.
137 Metro North/Antioch Connector: Improve weekday service frequencies from 120 minutes to 60 minutes, but discontinue Saturday service due to very low ridership.
Page 17 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
142 North Oak: Route 142 would be upgraded to a Key Corridor route that would operate between Zona Rosa and downtown Kansas City, and via River Market to serve that area and improve connections with Main Street MAX. Service would also be coordinated with Route 129 I‐29 between downtown and North Kansas City to provide more frequent service between those points. Service spans would be lengthened to provide service later at night, and Sunday service would be added.
155 55th Street: Minor span of service changes to be made to start and end service later to better match commute times.
156 Red Bridge: Route 156 would be consolidated with the outer end of Route 57 to extend service to Country Club Plaza. Service will also be reduced to better match service levels with demand.
163 63rd Street: Route 163 would be shortened by discontinuing the segment between Ward Parkway and Brookside Boulevard in order to provide more convenient schedules along the rest of the route. Service levels would also be adjusted to better match service with demand.
173 Casino Cruiser: Route 173 would be reconfigured to provide much faster and more direct service, more convenient schedules, and to provide year‐round service to the Worlds of Fun area.
175 175th Street: In conjunction with relocation of the Bannister & Drury transfer center to Bannister Road at Blue Ridge Boulevard, Route 175 would be routed via 87th Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard to the new transfer center. In addition, in conjunction with the relocation of the outer end of Route 54 Armour‐Swope to Ward Parkway Center, Route 175’s service along Hickman Mills Drive would be realigned to 85th Street and Troost Avenue to serve an area that would no longer be served by Route 54. (Service to Overland Park would be maintained.)
229 Tiffany Springs MetroFlex: To provide simpler service, Route 229 MetroFlex service would be replaced by improvements to Route 129 I‐29 Express service.
237 Gladstone/Antioch MetroFlex: To replace limited service Route 38 Meadowbrook/Antioch Center and 38X Meadowbrook Express variant services that would be discontinued, Route 237’s flex boundary would be extended eastward. Scheduled stops would also be introduced at Antioch Center to improve connections with fixed‐route services.
243 Antioch‐Barry Road Connector: Route 243 would be reconfigured to operate between 64th Street and Vivion Road at North Oak Trafficway via Riverside and the Riverside Community Center. Connections to downtown Kansas City would be available via Route 142 North Oak at the North Oak Trafficway, and connections to the I‐29 corridor would be available via Route 129 I‐29 at 64th Street. In addition, service frequencies would be improved from every 120 minutes to every 60 minutes. Service to the Argosy Casino would be discontinued due to low ridership.
Page 18 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
247 Westside MetroFlex: Route 247 would be discontinued and replaced with a combination of Route 27 27th Street and Route 123 23rd Street fixed‐route service.
251 TMC Lakewood Connector: Due to very low ridership but to maintain service for shopping, medical, and social trips, service would converted to weekday‐only midday‐only (from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm). Service frequencies would be improved from 120 minutes to 60 minutes.
253 Raytown MetroFlex: Route 253’s southern boundary would be extended to reflect the shift of Bannister and Drury transfer center to Bannister Road at Blue Ridge Boulevard. Scheduled stops would also be introduced at the new transfer center to improve connections with fixed‐route services.
296 Bannister/Hillcrest MetroFlex: Route 296’s Boundary would be extended to the northeast to improve service in Ruskin/Hickman Mills, but contracted to exclude the Bannister Federal District (because there is no ridership there). Scheduled stops would also be introduced at the new Bannister and Blue Ridge transfer center to improve connections with fixed‐route services.
298 South Kansas City MetroFlex: Route 298’s southern boundary would be extended to the east to include the Bannister Federal District. Scheduled stops would be introduced at Bannister Road and Troost Avenue to improve connections with fixed‐route services. Saturday service would be discontinued due to very low ridership.
471 71 Highway Express: Route 471’s schedule would be adjusted to provide service over a longer timespan, and to reroute service to downtown Kansas City via Crown Center. Service would be discontinued between Longview Drive at Hickman Mills Drive and the Red Bridge Park and Ride lot due to very low ridership, and new official parking would be developed in the vicinity of Bannister Road and Hillcrest Road.
Page 19
[Page intentionally left blank.]
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ANALYSIS
4. CHANGES BY ROUTE
The following pages described the proposed changes in terms of:
An overview of the route and issues. A description of proposed changes. Before and after service statistics Related changes to other routes. A map of the proposed change.
Page 21