Proposed public transportation cuts in Johnson County would shut down the county’s only route that serves Kansas University Medical Center.
Alice Amrein, director of transportation for Johnson County, said budgetary constraints were causing The JO bus service to look at eliminating eight routes and modifying service for nine others.
One of the routes proposed for elimination runs from 107th Street and Nall Avenue in Overland Park to 10th and Locust streets in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
That route serves about 11,000 rides a year and includes a stop at KUMC. While it is The JO’s only bus route that serves KUMC, Amrein said the campus is served by other area transportation routes in Kansas City, Kan.
“It’s not an ideal situation for us,” she said.
The cuts are not final, and the public can comment on the proposed changes by sending email to comments@thejo.com, by sending mail to Johnson County Transit, 1701 W. 56 Highway, Olathe KS 66061, or by leaving a phone message at 913-715-8255.
Public hearings are scheduled from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on July 9 and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on July 11 at the Sylvester Powell Community Center, 6200 Martway St., in Mission.
Amrein said the comments are taken seriously.
“We do have to do some service elimination, but this process gives us some idea about how we might do something different,” she said.
Comments
Cant_have_it_both_ways 11 months ago
Here it is. They are planting the seed to the generous people of Lawrence and going to watch it grow into our taxpayers helping fund the connector bus. Yea... something else we dont need!
chootspa 11 months ago
This article is talking about an entirely different bus, but thanks for playing.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 11 months ago
Not intending to bust on the LJW, but it sure appears sometimes that this paper is a mouth piece for those who want tax dollars. Many times we see something like this article, the next one will become more specific, the commission gets involved, they continue to cry about funding, and BOOM, a year later we are spending more money on things that are not necessary.
gccs14r 11 months ago
It's reasonable for Lawrence to help pay for the K-10 Connector regardless of what other changes Johnson County needs to make to their bus system. One look at the dozens of cars in the lot at 19th & Haskell every weekday (and probably hundreds at the Park & Ride lot on campus) shows that it's a good link to have. The State should really be helping pay for it, but that's not happening with Il Duce at the helm.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 11 months ago
How about people paying their own ways? If my buddies and I like hookers, the taxpayers should fund that too.
none2 11 months ago
Anybody who knows my posts, knows that I am not a fan of the empTy AT ALL. It was an expensive setup with massive sized buses that are empty most of the time. If they had used smaller buses, smarter routes, a larger percentage of costs paid by the riders, and less expense, then maybe it wouldn't have been so useless.
As to long distant transportation, there is nothing wrong with having alternatives to the individual car. For instance, the more people that can ride the K-10 Connector, the better it is not only for them, but for traffic on that busy corridor. It also means fewer excuses for people who claim they cannot make more money. If they can get on a bus to better paying jobs in the metro area, then there is no excuse for saying that the wages in Lawrence were the best they could do. They could take a bus to prosperity which is good for them, and good for the tax payers.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 11 months ago
They can then carpool and share the costs with someone else. The bus only transfers the costs from them to the taxpayer.
Sorry, the K-10 commuter is just another form of income redistribution which is the whole goal of the moochers among us.
none2 11 months ago
Well actually I telecommute for the most part. Still carpooling assumes that you are going to work at a specific time and returning at a specific time. That may be fine for a factory shift worker, but many jobs now days have erratic hours: You work until your work is done.
As for income redistribution, you can say the same thing about road improvements. Why should someone from Wichita care whether I-435 in Johnson county gets additional lanes, etc. Make all highway roads toll (Interstate, US, State, and major county roads), and make the people who use them responsible for 100% of every mile of maintenance, and improvements. The gas tax does not provide 100% of all expenses.
cummingshawk 11 months ago
What does the bus route in this story have to do with Lawrence and the K-10 connector?
northtowngrl 11 months ago
What? You expect reading comprehension for LJWorld posters? I think at this point some of readers see the word "bus" and their eyes glass over and the drool and the mantra just start pooring out.
none2 11 months ago
Maybe if you used your head, you could understand.
You can take the K-10 connector and then transfer to other JO routes. There isn't anything written in blood that if you take the K-10 connector you must stay at JCCC or Edwards campus until you take a returning K-10 connector.
gccs14r 11 months ago
Not to mention that there was an earlier story about the JO possibly discontinuing the K-10 Connector because of budget issues.
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