University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) students can now ride free on MAX and The Metro, thanks to a new partnership between the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) and the university. Last spring, students and the university's Board of Curators approved a transportation fee to pay for the all-access transit pass on KCATA bus service.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with UMKC,"said KCATA General Manager Mark Huffer. "The University's Volker and Hospital Hill campuses are in great locations and are served by several routes, including the popular Main St. MAX and Troost MAX. This partnership is a great step forward for transit in our community."

Metro staff brought a MAX bus to campus during UMKC's move-in day and the first week of classes to help students learn how to ride. Resources are also available on UMKC's and KCATA's websites. Students have even made a music video about MAX.

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Kansas City was treated to a first-hand look at a modern streetcar Aug. 23 at Union Station. The Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance (RTA) hosted a Modern Streetcar Party to help build momentum for the Downtown Corridor Alternatives Analysis (AA) and to give a "sneak peek" at a modern streetcar alternative that is being considered as one option for a possible expanded regional transit system.

The Downtown Corridor AA focuses on transit options in a narrow two-mile corridor running from the River Market on the north, through the Central Business District and the Crossroads areas to Union Station and Crown Center on the south. It will compare modern streetcars to an expanded bus service/Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and "no-build" alternatives, leading to the identification of a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).

Approximately 500 people boarded the Kinkisharyo International LLC ameriTram prototype, a 100 percent low-floor electro-hybrid streetcar specifically designed for North America.

Throughout the day a public open house was held in the Grand Hall of Union Station where nearly 300 people attended.

"The Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance salutes all the participants in the Modern Streetcar Party team for an incredibly successful event," said RTA Chairman Kite Singleton.

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New bus shelters at the Commonwealth redevelopment along Armour Blvd. are catching the attention of local Metro riders and a national design blog. This spring, El Dorado Inc. designed and built two bus shelters for Commonwealth, a complex of five 1920's apartment buildings at the corner of Gillham Road and Armour Blvd. The development has more than 400 residential units.

35-35th Street serves the shelter on Armour at Warwick. 55-Rockhill serves the shelter on Gillham at Armour.

For more photographs and information, visit El Dorado's company blog.  

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