NEWS RELEASE

July 9, 2008

Contacts:
Tom Gerend, Asst. Director of Transportation, at 816/474-4240
Jody Ladd Craig, Public Affairs Director, 816/701-8241 or jcraig@marc.org

Smart Moves website allows citizens to track changes on transit plan

The Mid-America Regional Council today launched a newly revised and updated Smart Moves website which will allow visitors to follow the latest developments in efforts to plan a regional transit system in the metro area. The site — www.kcsmartmoves.org — also hosts a survey, which officials hope hundreds of citizens will take to provide input on how the planning should move forward.

The Smart Moves plan, which was originally developed in 2002, describes how transit should serve the Kansas City metropolitan area in the years and decades ahead. It proposed a primarily bus-based system that would increase transit service in the region to a level comparable with transit service available in peer cities. Smart Moves builds on extensive past plans and studies, reflects what residents and businesses say they want in a public transit system, and incorporates best practices from across the country. The vision expands on current transit routes and facilities, and recommends existing and new service types, vehicles and facilities to meet local and regional needs.

In 2007-08, the Smart Moves was updated to reflect changes in transit planning within the communities in the region, including the passage of a proposal to build light rail in Kansas City, Mo. Details of this update can be found on the website.

In the last few years, area communities have become energized about transit. Many are including a public transit element as they study transportation corridors and plan for new development in their cities. Transit can be an option for getting workers to new employment centers, a catalyst for community revitalization and increased density, and a tool for improving air quality and reducing energy consumption.

Mid-America Regional Council is the regional planning council representing local governments in the metropolitan Kansas City area. MARC is responsible for transportation and air quality planning in the region, among other responsibilities. More information can be obtained online at www.marc.org.

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