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KCATA presents two KCI‑Leavenworth route options; staff estimate $1.7M–$1.9M per year to operate pilot service
Summary
KCATA planners proposed two preliminary express routes between Kansas City International Airport and Leavenworth County (one direct, one via Platte City), each with three morning and three afternoon trips; staff estimated annual operating costs of about $1.7 million (direct) to $1.9 million (via Platte City) and recommended county support for a planning grant and local coordination.
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority planners presented two preliminary express‑service options to connect Kansas City International Airport (KCI) with Fort Leavenworth and Leavenworth County, and laid out estimated schedules, travel times, operating costs and funding pathways.
"This is just to help generate a conversation, give us a place to start from," AJ Ferris, KCATA director of planning and scheduling, told the commission, noting prior airport‑access work from 2016 and 2019 and a KCATA–MARC KCI public‑transit action plan.
The two route concepts:
- Version A (via Platte City): three stops (KCI, Platte City, Leavenworth/Marriott), travel along I‑29/State Route 92, an end‑to‑end running time of roughly 45 minutes and an initial weekday service pattern of three morning trips and three afternoon trips (hourly headways). KCATA planners estimated the annual operating cost at about $1.9 million, and said that estimate assumes fares are collected.
- Version B (direct): a two‑stop express (KCI and Leavenworth) with similar weekday frequency (three morning/three afternoon trips), an estimated running time of about 35 minutes each direction and an estimated annual operating cost near $1.7 million (roughly 9–10% less than Version A). Planners said labor hours (driver time) are the main cost driver.
Ridership and schedule assumptions: KCATA staff reported that in a stakeholder survey 62% of respondents prioritized a quick, time‑efficient express service and that over half of survey respondents said they would be "likely or very likely" to use such a route. Planners suggested the schedule and stops could be adjusted to match Fort Leavenworth shift times and employer needs.
Funding and next steps: KCATA staff explained stacking of local and federal sources, public‑private partnerships and use of conduit financing. Staff highlighted a potential three‑year CMAQ (congestion‑mitigation and air‑quality) operations window for portions of the route and said KCATA and MARC could reallocate previously programmed CMAQ funds if approved by MARC. KCATA asked the county for a letter of support or a non‑funding resolution to pursue a Planning Sustainable Places planning grant (cap up to $150,000) and to keep the project active publicly.
Commissioners raised the recurring issue of operations funding and stressed the need to identify local partners and committed sources; KCATA and MARC staff recommended convening a broader, potentially interstate, planning discussion and suggested a special meeting or resolution to keep the project on the public record. KCATA offered to draft a support letter for the county and to provide a high‑level estimate for expanding microtransit (Ride LB) into rural areas on request.
Next procedural step: KCATA requested a letter of support or resolution to allow pursuit of planning funding; commissioners asked staff to consider a special meeting to convene regional partners and to identify potential local funding contributions before moving to pilot operations.
