KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The city of Kansas City, Missouri, asked design, engineering and other professional firms to submit ideas for a rapid transit option connecting the airport to downtown.
The city issued what it formally calls a “request for expressions of interest” Monday.
The document asks anyone who replies to submit ideas for routes, costs, financing and design options for “a robust rapid transportation system connecting Kansas City International Airport to downtown Kansas City.”
The request also asks firms for ideas on how to best transport international travelers around the region when World Cup soccer matches take place in Kansas City during the global tournament in 2026.
Firms have until July 20 to respond. The city will review the responses later in the summer.
In the fall, the city may issue a request for proposals, the next step in the procurement process for bidding a job with city funding.
“When I go to bigger cities and you can just get on transportation and whoosh somewhere, where you don’t have to worry about getting on and getting off, this and that, I think it’d be an awesome idea,” said Lee Gruss, who lives in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Most residents and tourists were receptive to the idea.
“We did think actually it’s quite a distance between the airport and downtown. I think a rapid train would help the situation,” said Audrey, a visitor from the United Kingdom. “It’s a very modern international airport, so having a modern transport system would probably be a good idea.”
A longtime downtown Kansas City resident encouraged the city to thoroughly do its homework before spending any money on a rapid transit system.
Howard Wright wants to ensure any potential development benefits residents first.
“Is this a tourist option that we’re just putting in to get ready for the World Cup, or is this something in the long-term that is sustainable,” Wright said.
The request for expressions of interests does not commit the city to any future development. This is the first step in gauging interest and developing a plan.
In January, RideKC and the Mid-America Regional Council asked firms to propose ways to study new transportation optionsconnected to the new terminal at KCI.
In May, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority submitted a grant proposal to launch a study of a train system connecting the 15-county region surrounding Kansas City.
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