Johnson County commissioners back foundational transit plan; vote 6-1 on fixed-route and microtransit changes

Mike Kelly, chair of the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, moved and the board approved a budget-neutral reconfiguration of Johnson County Transit’s fixed-route and microtransit services as a foundational step toward a long-range transit vision, with planned implementation on Jan. 1, 2026 if the board moves forward. The motion passed 6-1 on a roll call that recorded one dissenting vote from Commissioner Allen Brand.

The plan presented to the board recommends prioritizing frequency on high-ridership corridors, consolidating some routes, creating a new express connection to regional service, and narrowing the county’s microtransit service area to align with demand. "Johnson County Transit envisions a connected community using targeted efficient transit services to connect people and destinations," said Andrea Ostradka, transit practice lead with Tool Design Group, the consultant team that prepared the recommendations.

The recommendations focus on five target corridors and a near-term "foundational system" that keeps the county's operating budget unchanged. Key near-term proposals include increased frequency on the Metcalf corridor (15 minutes during peak, 30 minutes off-peak), a new express route linking Mission Transit Center with the East Village Transit Center to improve regional connections, standardized local routes operating on 60-minute headways, and a refined microtransit zone that would reduce the current 181-square-mile service area to roughly 80 square miles and align microtransit hours with fixed-route service.

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