By Maria Carter
Kansas City, MO – A recent engineering report called into question the financing and engineering of a voter approved light rail plan. The Area Transportation Area is gathering suggestions from the public in an effort to create what they call a workable plan. KCUR's Maria Carter has more.
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Tonight at the Mohart Multipurpose Center, transit officials will make a presentation about the light rail planning process and gather opinions on what citizens think of those plans. The public forum helps the ATA gather information for the alternatives analysis, a study needed to get federal funding. The recent reportraised many questions about the light rail plan in Kansas City including problems with bridges and a cost about half a billion dollars more than original estimates. Spokeswoman Cindy Baker says the ATA is using the voter-approved blueprint as a starting point.
Cindy Baker: It still is about a plan that the voters approved but it's finding a plan and perhaps a starter line out of that plan that is feasible, workable, and fundable.
Baker says the public comments will be taken into consideration as the study continues. A second forum will be held tomorrow at the North Kansas City Community Center.
Meetings
Monday, August 20th, Mohart Multi-purpose Center
3200 Wayne, Kansas City, MO
Tuesday August 21st,North Kansas City Community Center
1999 Iron, North Kansas City, MO