KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two Kansas City-area planning agencies are asking for help to complete a $200,000 study of future multi-modal transit options for the new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport.
RideKC and the Mid-America Regional Council issued a request for proposals on Jan. 27, seeking a firm that could further study the issue. The winning company would then tentatively issue an action plan to the agencies by October 2023.
“The time is now for a reliable, accessible, and multi-modal public rapid transport system that services KCI, surrounding area businesses and key destinations around the region,” the request outlines.
RELATED | KCI’s new single terminal set to open Feb. 28
Authors cited recent developments such as the downtown Kansas City, Missouri, convention hotel, “visitor amenities” and the hosting of marquee events such as the 2023 NFL Draft and 2026 FIFA World Cup as evidence that further transit service is needed.
The plan doesn’t propose specific transit methods, such as bus rapid transit or a version of passenger rail. The authors say they seek an “immediate effort” to identify the correct services.
Agencies behind the plan hope “to identify effective, feasible and sustainable rapid transit service investments to support baseline growth in KCI travel and employment, scale for large events such as the World Cup, national conventions and others.”
RideKC and MARC would partner with VisitKC, the Kansas City Sports Commission, area chambers of commerce and the governments in Overland Park, Kansas City, Missouri, the Unified Government, Independence, Jackson County, Missouri and others.
LINK | Read the request for proposals
Last October, KSHB 41 News outlined the regional effort by the KC2026 World Cup Bid Committee used to help Kansas City land a host city designation.
The regional plan was described as a hub-and-spoke system with Kansas City as the hub and spokes out to Wichita, Tulsa, Little Rock, St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha and Des Moines.
Companies bidding to win the study’s contract must submit their bid by Feb. 27. MARC and RideKC would select a firm by April 7, 2023, with the final report due on Oct. 20, 2023.
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