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FTA 27-04
Contact: Melissa Sabatine, Tel.: (202) 366-4043
Email: Melissa.Sabatine@fta.dot.gov
Thursday, July 22, 2004
U.S. DOT Invests $7.4 Million in Rapid Bus Service and Replacement Vehicles
for the Kansas City Metropolitan Area
Kansas City area commuters will benefit from improved bus service thanks to a
$7.4 million grant for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system and replacements buses
from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Norman Y. Mineta announced today. This federal investment will increase mobility
and support the economy for residents in the Missouri counties of Jackson, Cass,
Platte, Clay and Ray, and the Kansas counties of Wyandotte, Leavenworth and
Johnson.
“Bus rapid transit gives communities an affordable transit alternative that
provides swift, more user-friendly public transportation,” said Secretary Mineta.
“The Bush Administration has invested in this new system, which connects workers
to jobs, shoppers to stores, and Kansas City area residents to the rapidly
expanding economy.”
The grant awarded to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) will
be applied towards the construction of the 9.7-mile BRT system in downtown
Kansas City and the purchase of 33 replacement buses for the current bus system.
BRT is a system of enhanced bus service. Components may include the use of
express lanes and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) that aid in increased
speeds, decreased travel times, and more user-friendly service. The Kansas City
BRT project will operate on existing streets and include ITS enhancements such
as signal priority at intersections and real time notification of bus arrivals.
“With these funds, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) will be
able to build a more modern and efficient public transportation system. This
system will help fight traffic congestion while also helping the environment, by
taking more cars off the road," said U.S. Senator Kit Bond. “By investing in
transportation, we are investing in Missouri's economic future. This is another
example of the strong commitment of Secretary Mineta and the Bush Administration
in meeting the ongoing transportation needs of the Kansas City area.”
The funds announced today are part of the FTA’s capital investment program that
provides financial assistance for transit agencies to purchase new vehicles and
construct new facilities. Funds are allocated on a discretionary basis.
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