Contact: Ernie Blazar 202-224-7627 Shana Stribling 224-0309
Friday, November 30, 2001

KANSAS CITY, MO - Senator Kit Bond today announced that he secured $12 million for a bus rapid transit system in Kansas City. These funds are part of the $52 million Bond was successful in delivering for Missouri transportation projects in the FY02 Transportation Appropriations bill. Missouri will receive additional money beyond these specific funds Bond secured.

“Area leaders came to me with an innovative plan to connect major activity centers in Kansas City with fast, frequent transit service. This plan will take the concepts of efficient and environmentally friendly transportation and apply it to public transportation throughout the city,” said Bond.

$7.5 million of the funds will be used for a new bus rapid transit system (BRT). This system will use existing rights of way, have signal priority at intersections and be as frequent as light rail. The BRT program will run north/south connecting the City Market-River-front, with the Union Station-Crown Center region, and Plaza to south. Bond was also able to secure an additional $4.5 million for the purchase of bus and radio equipment for the Kansas City Area Transit Authority (KCATA). Bond also announced that the KCATA has agreed to burn biodiesel in the new BRT buses. In addition to the positive economic impacts felt in the farming community, this expanded use of the soybean based alternative fuel will benefit the environment by reducing emissions and improving the air quality of Kansas City.

“I am confident that this program will play a role in the future economic development of downtown Kansas City while also benefitting our farmers in the field,” said Bond.