NEWS RELEASE

July 5, 2012

Contacts:
Dan Ferguson, Jackson County, Missouri, Public Information Officer, 816/881-3271
Tom Gerend, Mid-America Regional Council, Assistant Transportation Director, 816/701-8303

Open Houses Scheduled To Discuss Future Mass Transit Options in Jackson County

In an effort to gain public input on how to best enhance transit options in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the Project Partnership Team for the U.S. 71 Transit Study will host two open houses. The first will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at The View, the city of Grandview's community center. The center is located at 13500 Byars Road, Grandview, Missouri.

The purpose of the meetings is to discuss future transit options along the U.S. 71 corridor, which begins on the northern end in downtown Kansas City, Missouri's central business district and runs south through Grandview, Missouri. During the open houses, participants will have an opportunity to tell the project partners whether enhanced transit is needed in the corridor and, if so, what their preferred transit option might be.

A short update on the "alternative analysis" study will be given at 4:30 p.m. An alternatives analysis is a necessary step in order to apply for and receive federal transportation dollars for the construction of new transit systems. Ultimately, the intention of the study is to identify a locally preferred alternative for the U.S. 71 corridor — the route, mode and financing desired by the community.

An additional opportunity for comment will be available to the public. This meeting will be:

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
July 17, 2012

Southeast Community Center
4201 E. 63rd Street
Kansas City, Missouri

The U.S. 71 study complements the work already underway as part of the Jackson County Commuter Corridors Alternatives Analysis. That study is evaluating how to enhance transit options along the Interstate 70 and Rock Island corridors. Not only would improvements in all of these corridors support the region's vision for expanded and enhanced transit service, but they would also be catalysts for economic development and redevelopment and an improved quality of life. Project partners for both efforts are Jackson County: the city of Kansas City, Mo.; the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and the Mid-America Regional Council.

Visit MARC's Smart Moves website at http://www.kcsmartmoves.org/ for materials and updates on the U.S. 71 Transit Study as well as other regional studies.

Please notify the Mid-America Regional Council at (816) 474-4240 at least 48 hours in advance if you require special accommodations to attend this meeting (e.g., qualified interpreter, large print, reader, hearing assistance).

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