Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
Encyclopedia
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) is a public transit operator in Kansas City, Missouri
. It is the operator of the Metro Area Express
Bus Rapid Transit
service and 69 Local Bus
routes in Cass
, Clay, Jackson
and Platte
Counties in Missouri
and Johnson
, Leavenworth
and Wyandotte
Counties in Kansas
.
The KCATA started operations in 1969, taking over from the old Kansas City Public Service Company
.
$3.00 full fare for 152 Lee's Summit/Raytown Express and 170 Blue Springs Express.
$3.00 (no reduced fare) for 69X Liberty Express.
$95 full (no reduced) fare for 69X, 152 and 170.
Bus rapid transit
premiered with the Metro Area Express
in July 2005. It is about 12 miles (19.3 km) linking the River Market, Downtown, Crown Center and the Plaza Area. The first BRT Line is in service on Main Street
. The next BRT Line is the 13 miles (20.9 km) Troost Avenue
which started service on January 1, 2011. The next one planned is a 15 miles (24.1 km) BRT corridor is on State Avenue in the future. There are four more urban corridors up for analysis.
line that would run from Kansas City International Airport
in the north to the Kansas City Zoo
in Swope Park
in the south, with at least 13 stations encompassing the Plaza
, Midtown-Westport
, Downtown
, and North Kansas City
. In addition, this measure calls for a fleet of 60 electric buses serving light rail stops and an aerial gondola tram system in Penn Valley Park. Following voter approval there have been discussions about the plan and surrounding issues by the Kansas City Council, Kansas City's Washington DC lobbying firm, Kansas City's Assistant City Attorney, Clay & Valerie Chastain, Kansas City April 2007 mayoral candidates, and the KCATA. On November 9, 2007 KCATA announced it would repeal the light rail plan approved by the voters a year earlier on financial grounds, and in a statement said it would develop a less expensive alternate plan by 2008.
In November 2008, a ballot measure approving a 3/8 cent sales tax was again put before the voters, and this time it was defeated.
system. It will encompass the seven county service area. As of 2010, six rail corridors have been proposed and will all converge on Kansas City Union Station.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. It is the operator of the Metro Area Express
Metro Area Express
The Metro Area Express is the bus rapid transit service run by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The first service opened on Main Street on July 2005. The second service on Troost Avenue opened on January 1, 2011. MAX was an instant success, with...
Bus Rapid Transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
service and 69 Local Bus
Transit bus
A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes...
routes in Cass
Cass County, Missouri
Cass County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 99,478. Its county seat is Harrisonville. The county was organized in 1835 as "Van Buren County", renamed in 1848 after Michigan U.S...
, Clay, Jackson
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
and Platte
Platte County, Missouri
As of the census of 2000, there were 73,781 people, 29,278 households, and 20,231 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile . There were 30,902 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
Counties in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Johnson
Johnson County, Kansas
Johnson County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. The county is largely suburban, being part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and containing many of its affluent southwestern suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 544,179. Its county...
, Leavenworth
Leavenworth County, Kansas
Leavenworth County is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 76,227. Its county seat and most populous city is Leavenworth...
and Wyandotte
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. The county's population was 157,505 for the 2010 census. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City with which it shares a unified government...
Counties in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
The KCATA started operations in 1969, taking over from the old Kansas City Public Service Company
Kansas City Public Service Company
The Kansas City Public Service Company was a public transit operator in Kansas City, Missouri in the 1940s.Streetcar operations in Kansas City began as horsecar operations in 1869 and electricification after the 1880s....
.
One way fares
$1.50 full fare ($0.75 reduced fare) routes in Kansas City, MO; Kanasas City, KS; Johnson County, KS; Raytown, Gladstone and Independence.$3.00 full fare for 152 Lee's Summit/Raytown Express and 170 Blue Springs Express.
$3.00 (no reduced fare) for 69X Liberty Express.
Monthly passes
$50 full and $25 reduced for regular and express service.$95 full (no reduced) fare for 69X, 152 and 170.
Reduced fares
Reduced fares are available for children 12 to 18, seniors and people with disabilities, with a reduced fare card. Children under 5 ride for free with an adult. Children ages 6 to 11 do not need a reduced fare card to qualify for reduced fare.Routes
This is a list of current routes , but service cutbacks are due to be implemented at the end of June 2009.| No. | Name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Street MAX | Metro Area Express Metro Area Express The Metro Area Express is the bus rapid transit service run by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The first service opened on Main Street on July 2005. The second service on Troost Avenue opened on January 1, 2011. MAX was an instant success, with... |
BRT | Bus Rapid Transit |
| Troost Avenue MAX | Metro Area Express Metro Area Express The Metro Area Express is the bus rapid transit service run by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The first service opened on Main Street on July 2005. The second service on Troost Avenue opened on January 1, 2011. MAX was an instant success, with... |
BRT | Bus Rapid Transit |
| 12 | 12th Street | regular | |
| 24 | Independence | regular | |
| 24X | Independence Express | express | weekdays only |
| 25 | Troost | regular | |
| 27 | 27th Street | regular | |
| 28 | Blue Ridge | regular | |
| 28X | Blue Ridge Express | express | weekdays only |
| 30 | Northeast | regular | |
| 31 | 31st Street | regular | |
| 35 | 35th Street | regular | |
| 37 | Gladstone | regular | |
| 37XX | North Broadway Express | express | weekdays only |
| 38 | Meadowbrook | regular | no Sunday service |
| 38X | Meadowbrook Express | express | weekdays only |
| 39 | 39th Street | regular | |
| 47 | Roanoke | regular | no Sunday service |
| 51 | Ward Parkway | regular | |
| 51X | Ward Parkway Express | express | weekdays only |
| 53 | Armour-Swope Park | regular | |
| 54 | Armour-Paseo | regular | |
| 55 | Rockhill | regular | weekdays only |
| 56X | Red Bridge Express | express | weekdays only |
| 57 | South Oak | regular | |
| 69X | Liberty Express | express | weekdays only |
| 71 | Prospect | regular | |
| 101 | Minnesota/State Ave | regular | |
| 102 | Central | regular | weekdays only |
| 103 | 3rd Street/Fairfax | regular | weekdays only |
| 104 | Argentine | regular | no Sunday service |
| 106 | Quindaro | regular | no Sunday service |
| 107 | 7th Street | regular | no Sunday service |
| 108 | Indiana | regular | |
| 109 | 9th Street | regular | |
| 110 | Woodland/Brooklyn | regular | no Sunday service |
| 113 | Leavenworth | regular | weekdays only |
| 115 | Kansas Ave | regular | weekdays only |
| 116 | West Parallel | regular | weekdays only |
| 121 | Cleveland-Antioch | regular | no Sunday service |
| 123 | 23rd Street | regular | weekdays only |
| 126 | East 5th Street | regular | no Sunday service |
| 129 | I-29 Express | express | weekdays only |
| 132 | Gracemor | regular | weekdays only |
| 133 | Vivion/Antioch | regular | weekdays only |
| 133X | Vivion/Antioch Express | express | weekdays only |
| 135 | Winwood | regular | weekdays only |
| 136 | Boardwalk/Antioch Connector | regular | no Sunday service |
| 137 | Metro North/Antioch Connector | regular | no Sunday service |
| 142 | North Oak | regular | no Sunday service |
| 152 | Lee's Summit/Raytown Express | express | weekdays only |
| 155 | 55th Street | regular | weekdays only |
| 156 | Red Bridge | regular | |
| 163 | 63rd Street | regular | |
| 170 | Blue Springs Express | express | weekdays only |
| 173 | Casino Cruiser | regular | |
| 175 | 75th Street | regular | |
| 183 | Independence Green Route | Independence | no Sunday service |
| 229 | Tiffany Springs MetroFlex | MetroFlex | |
| 237 | Gladstone/Antioch MetroFlex | MetroFlex | no Sunday service |
| 243 | Antioch-Barry Road Connector | regular | no Sunday service |
| 244 | NKC MetroFlex | MetroFlex | |
| 247 | Westside MetroFlex | MetroFlex | weekdays only |
| 251 | TMC Lakewood Connector | regular | no Sunday service |
| 252 | Lee's Summit MetroFlex | MetroFlex | weekdays only |
| 253 | Raytown Circulator | MetroFlex | weekdays only |
| 257 | Santa Fe Hills Connector | regular | to be discontinued |
| 258 | Longview Connector | regular | to be discontinued |
| 260 | Johnson/Wyandotte Connector | regular | weekdays only |
| 284 | Independence Purple Route | Independence | no Sunday service |
| 285 | Independence Blue Route | Independence | no Sunday service |
| 291 | Independence Yellow Route | Independence | no Sunday service |
| 292 | Independence Orange Route | Independence | no Sunday service |
| 293 | Independence Red Route | Independence | no Sunday service |
| 296 | Bannister/Hillcrest MetroFlex | MetroFlex | no Sunday service |
| 298 | SKC/Wornall MetroFlex | MetroFlex | no Sunday service |
| 471 | 71 Highway Express | express | weekdays only |
Transit hubs
There are three MetroCenters and two transit centers located in the Kansas City Metro Area.MetroCenters
- Boardwalk Square MetroCenter
- Independence MetroCenter
- 39th & Troost MetroCenter
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
premiered with the Metro Area Express
Metro Area Express
The Metro Area Express is the bus rapid transit service run by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The first service opened on Main Street on July 2005. The second service on Troost Avenue opened on January 1, 2011. MAX was an instant success, with...
in July 2005. It is about 12 miles (19.3 km) linking the River Market, Downtown, Crown Center and the Plaza Area. The first BRT Line is in service on Main Street
Main Street (Kansas City)
Main Street or Main is a major north/south main street that runs in Kansas City, Missouri. It most likely starts at the Missouri River as a dead end street not intersecting with 1st Street and most likely ends at Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and Brookside Boulevard as a major main street. The...
. The next BRT Line is the 13 miles (20.9 km) Troost Avenue
Troost Avenue
Troost Avenue or Troost is a major north/south main street that runs in Kansas City, Missouri. It starts at 4th Street & Troost Avenue at Garrison Square and ends at Bannister Road & Troost Avenue. Troost Avenue was named after one of the founders of Kansas City, Dr...
which started service on January 1, 2011. The next one planned is a 15 miles (24.1 km) BRT corridor is on State Avenue in the future. There are four more urban corridors up for analysis.
Urban BRT corridors
- Main Street MAX Line - 12 miles (19.3 km) - 28 BRT Stations
- Troost Avenue MAX Line - 13 miles (20.9 km) - 47 BRT Stations
- State Avenue Connex Line - 15 miles (24.1 km) - 30 BRT Stations
- North Oak MAX Line - 11 miles (17.7 km) - 17 BRT Stations
- Shawnee/Metcalf MAX Line - 14 miles (22.5 km) - 24 BRT Stations
- Truman Road MAX Line - 10 miles (16.1 km) - 28 BRT Stations
- US 40 MAX Line - 10 miles (16.1 km) - 28 BRT Stations
Light rail and gondola trams
In November 2006 voters in Kansas City, MO approved a ballot measure, which extends a 3/8 cent sales tax for 25 years to construct and operate a 27 miles (43.5 km) light railLight rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line that would run from Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport , originally named Mid-Continent International Airport, is a public airport located 15 miles northwest of the central business district of Kansas City, in Platte County, Missouri, United States. In 2008, 10,469,892 passengers used the airport...
in the north to the Kansas City Zoo
Kansas City Zoological Park
Kansas City Zoological Park is a zoo founded in 1909. It is located in Swope Park at 6800 Zoo Drive Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. The zoo has a Friends Of The Zoo program...
in Swope Park
Swope Park
Swope Park is an 1805-acre city park within the city of Kansas City, Missouri. It is the 29th-largest municipal park in the United States , and the largest park in Kansas City. It is named in honor of Colonel Thomas H. Swope, a philanthropist who donated the land to the city in 1896...
in the south, with at least 13 stations encompassing the Plaza
Country Club Plaza
The Country Club Plaza is an upscale shopping district and residential neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It was the first shopping center in the world designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile...
, Midtown-Westport
Westport, Kansas City
Westport is a historic neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Originally its own town, it was annexed by Kansas City in 1897. Today, it is one of Kansas City's main entertainment districts.-Background:...
, Downtown
Downtown Kansas City
Downtown Kansas City is the central business district of Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It is located between the Missouri River in the north, to 31st Street in the south; and from the Kansas–Missouri state line east to Troost Avenue as defined by officials of the...
, and North Kansas City
North Kansas City, Missouri
North Kansas City is a city in Clay County, Missouri, United States and is an independent municipality that is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The population was 4,714 as of the 2000 census but a large business/industrial base swells the daytime population by thousands more...
. In addition, this measure calls for a fleet of 60 electric buses serving light rail stops and an aerial gondola tram system in Penn Valley Park. Following voter approval there have been discussions about the plan and surrounding issues by the Kansas City Council, Kansas City's Washington DC lobbying firm, Kansas City's Assistant City Attorney, Clay & Valerie Chastain, Kansas City April 2007 mayoral candidates, and the KCATA. On November 9, 2007 KCATA announced it would repeal the light rail plan approved by the voters a year earlier on financial grounds, and in a statement said it would develop a less expensive alternate plan by 2008.
In November 2008, a ballot measure approving a 3/8 cent sales tax was again put before the voters, and this time it was defeated.
Commuter rail
Kansas City has envisioned a 150 miles (241.4 km) regional railRegional rail
Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
system. It will encompass the seven county service area. As of 2010, six rail corridors have been proposed and will all converge on Kansas City Union Station.
Regional rail corridors
- Blue Springs Line
- Lee's Summit Line
- Grandview Line
- Liberty Line
- KCI/Airport Line
- Wyandotte Line