Kansas City, Mo., encompasses 319 square miles with a population of just over half a million. For comparison, Chicago has an area of just 234 square miles with a population of 2.7 million. With this sprawl comes the added complexities of creating and supporting modes of transportation that allow for every Kansas Citian to get where they need to go in a safe and efficient manner.
We must become a city where transit is not a luxury but is a service we provide for our citizens, whether they rely on it for their sole mode of transportation or choose it to decrease their budget or carbon footprint. We need to focus on urban planning that aligns with our Transit-oriented Development Plan, incentivize companies to locate in our urban core already served by existing transit options and pursue innovative projects that can attract federal funding and the young professionals who will want to live here and help us grow the smart way.