MAX bus to come to NKC?

By Jeffrey M. Salem

It’s billed as light rail on rubber wheels in Kansas City and it may reach North Kansas City streets.

The possibility of extending the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority’s Metro Area Express, or MAX, north into or through North Kansas City was entertained recently per the North Kansas City Council’s request. To make it a reality, capital and operation costs would need to be covered and interest from residents would likely be sought by the city before discussions get serious.

The ATA’s Dick Jarrold, proposed to City Council an extension into North Kansas City with stops at 10th Avenue and Burlington Street, 14th Avenue and Burlington and designate 18th Avenue and Swift Street as the north turnaround point before returning south through Kansas City towards the Country Club Plaza.

Jarrold’s proposal, which was for conversation purposes only, would carry a $1.5 million price tag for capital costs. Five MAX stations for riders costing $150,000 each and two new MAX buses at $375,000 a piece would need to be purchased.

And don’t forget the operational costs. Annually, Jarrold’s predictions for gross costs reached close to $500,000, although that would be reduced about 20 percent from riders’ fares and the likelihood of federal funding to help offset even more of the cost. Another way to offset costs would be to run MAX even further north through North Kansas City to Kansas City North and make cost-sharing possible.

The rapid transit system, which currently has its northernmost hub in the River Market near East 3rd Street and Grand Boulevard just south of the Missouri River, touts more spacious buses with a faster ride because of fewer stops, traffic-signal priority and exclusive street lanes, which traditional buses are not always privy. The $1.25 for a ride is the same cost as its other bus systems.

“We have a lot of service,” Jarrold said. “So you don’t necessarily need to go look at a schedule for MAX, it’s frequent enough — every nine minutes in the peak hours — you could just go out and pick it up from your MAX station.

“We try to portray MAX … as something more akin to a rail line than a bus line,” he said.

A handful of council members appeared interested in bringing MAX to North Kansas City.

Councilman Chris Hertling said he rode the MAX to work south of the river for a spell a few years ago.

“The segment from 3rd and Grand to Plaza on the MAX was wonderful, and if there were similar service to Overland Park I’d ride it everyday,” he said.

Councilwoman Lisa Ronning said she had received interest from several of her constituents.

“I’ve had several residents and just people who live in the community that just want the MAX to come north of the river,” she said. “Even if it didn’t go any further than 10th street, just that jump across the river would be advantageous to a lot of people.”

Mayor Gene Bruns said he was seriously contemplating placing a survey in the city’s Northtown Report — to see how many residents would use the system if it expanded north before taking any more action.

Staff writer Jeffrey M. Salem can be reached at 389-6653 or jeffsalem@npgco.com.