RESOLUTION NO. 120294
Expressing the City Council’s
support for a federally funded alternatives analysis for the next phase of the
streetcar project and directing the City Manager to submit the appropriate
grant application.
WHEREAS, on
December 21, 2010, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded the region
$1.8M, $540,000.00 of which was allocated to fund an alternatives analysis for
a downtown mass transit circulator; and
WHEREAS, the
consultant team engaged to conduct the alternatives analysis recommended that
the downtown mass transit circulator be a modern streetcar operating generally
on Main Street between the Rivermarket area on the north and Pershing Road on
the south, and the City Council adopted the same as the City’s preferred mode
and route in Resolution No. 110764; and
WHEREAS, the
City’s commitment to an open and inclusive process and collaboration with
stakeholders has resulted in widespread support for a downtown streetcar
project and the economic benefits to be realized through its implementation;
and
WHEREAS, the
City is committed to making the project a reality and is currently seeking to establish
a transportation development district for the purposes of funding the design,
engineering, construction and operation of the downtown streetcar project; and
WHEREAS, the
City also filed an application requesting $25M in federal TIGER IV funds and
has directed the City Manager to identify and pursue a variety of other
supplemental funding mechanisms, cost-saving project delivery methods and
alternative funding options for the downtown streetcar project; and
WHEREAS,
implementation of the downtown streetcar on Main Street generally between the
Rivermarket area on the north and Pershing Road on the south is only the first
phase of a fully expandable streetcar system; and
WHEREAS, the
City would like to continue the streetcar system from a general location on
Pershing Road to the Plaza/UMKC area on the south; and
WHEREAS, the FTA
recently issued a Notice of Funding Availability for approximately $25M from its
FY 2012 Section 5339 Alternatives Analysis program; and
WHEREAS, grant
applications for those funds are due on April 19, 2012; and
WHEREAS, the
City is committed to pursuing all relevant funding as it becomes available; and
WHEREAS, the
City’s Parking and Transportation Commission has considered this issue as well
and supports the City’s effort to pursue the alternatives analysis funding;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED
BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
Section 1. That
the City Council supports a federally funded alternatives analysis for the next
phase of transit service connected with the downtown streetcar project.
Section 2. That
the City Manger is directed to submit the appropriate grant application to the
Federal Transit Administration.
Section 3. That
the City prefers to continue the streetcar systems from a general location on
Pershing Road to the Plaza/UMKC area on the south.
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