Light Rail Transit: The Time for Action Is Upon Us
For many years, AIA Kansas City has been a passionate advocate for a comprehensive public transportation system that includes both rail and bus transit. After years of deliberation and debate, the time has finally come for Kansas City to make this vision a reality. To that end, AIA Kansas City strongly supports both the light rail starter line and sales tax initiative proposed by the City Council.
Other advocates of the current light rail proposal have cited soaring energy prices, environmental concerns, convention and tourism benefits, and the need for better transit options in the urban core as reasons to support this initiative. AIA Kansas City wholeheartedly agrees with all of these arguments, but as Kansas City’s voice of the architecture profession, we see additional benefits that further strengthen the case in favor of this major civic investment.
After years of hard work and investment, Kansas City has seen its massive downtown revitalization efforts begin to pay dividends. While high-profile attractions like Sprint Center and the Power & Light District grab headlines, the entire River-Crown-Plaza corridor is enjoying a renaissance. The proposed starter line will connect all of our community’s assets along this corridor, cultivating a culture of transit usage and encouraging the live-work-play environment vital to the sustainability of our urban core.
Some opponents have suggested bus rapid transit as an inexpensive and equally effective alternative to a light rail system. While busses are an indispensible component of a comprehensive regional transit system, they should not be the only piece of the transportation puzzle. Rail provides additional benefits that bus transit simply cannot.
Rails and train stops are fixed investments that are not easily moved. This stability can serve as a powerful catalyst for development along the rail corridor. In cities with rail transit, proximity to a train stop is a highly desirable amenity residents and entrepreneurs seek out when choosing a place to live or open a business. As the rail corridor flourishes, adjacent areas can build upon that positive momentum to transform entire neighborhoods.
Moreover, passengers typically find the ridership experience on light rail to be smoother and more enjoyable. This is an important consideration when trying to increase the number of discretionary riders using public transit systems.
It’s true that all of our transit needs will not be solved with one light rail line in the heart of the city. But a starter line is just that: a start. A critical first step upon which a broader network can be built. In a perfect world, the Kansas City metro area would build a comprehensive regional system with funding from all jurisdictions at once, but we should not let a quest for unattainable perfection distract us from implementing realistic solutions.
If the light rail measure is passed by voters in November, AIA Kansas City encourages the city and transportation officials to seriously consider an aggressive timeline for launching a short section of the starter line. While current estimates project a 10-year horizon from approval to completion, we believe the city would benefit from opening some portion of the system within four years of approval. This aggressive schedule will help sustain the positive momentum in our urban core, give citizens a faster return on their investment, and help accelerate the process of building a larger regional transit network. In addition to these civic benefits, an accelerated timeline could yield significant budgetary benefits, helping to minimize the impact of construction cost increases that are common in major infrastructure projects.
As our nation struggles with rising energy costs and our community seeks to bridge economic divides and promote development, we must have the vision and discipline to invest in long-term solutions. We’ve talked about it for two decades – the time for action is upon us.