Here's a glimpse at an effort to save the planet, Kansas City and this town's soul . . . Take a look:
Clay Chastain: The Greatest Petition on Earth. (Part I today, Part II Wednesday, Part III Friday). I believe in it.
INTRODUCTION: A heralded petition initiative stands to build a monumental infrastructure-improving project that will serve the people, befriend the environment and rally our City beyond it's confinement and towards it's great potential. It is the only answer to turn the table, uplift us and sturdy our fortunes. It was not designed on the back of a napkin nor a backroom at City Hall. It came from an independent-thinking mind long loyal to improving Kansas City. It being - a beautiful, utilitarian and rejuvenating state-of-the-art public transportation system for Kansas City, Missouri.
REALITY: Petition supporters must first answer this question...Why make modernizing and expanding our transit system a top priority when most people use an automobile, the City has lost population density and our streets are in constant disrepair?
The million dollar answer? Though there are many bright spots, KC has not grown in population in 60-years. KC has fewer residents, fewer jobs and far fewer children than in 1960. It cannot maintain itself without more tax paying residents. Kansas City's "diversity" conspicuously lacks families with children. We are becoming too much defined by murders, glitz and potholes. Though tourism revenue is up, it is not our savior. Ultimately, we will be continually handicapped if we cannot attract a broad slice of humanity to come live with us again. Kansas City must offer something big and new to improve quality of life, grab the world's attention and steam ahead.
THE ARGUMENT: Like many other declining cities, Kansas City lost out to surrounding safer, fresher and car-oriented suburbs. Today though, we have an opportunity to compete as a new transit-oriented City. Modern transit is back in vogue and thus capable of being employed as a major new selling point for attracting millennials, retirees, tourists (and even families) back to urban centers. Why? Quick, quiet and clean transit systems are now viewed as a means to increase convenience; save time; improve mobility options; create more affordable housing and, of course, reduce... living expenses, global pollution, economic disparity and wall to wall traffic. This translates to improved quality of life and making a city a more attractive place to live. A new wave of diverse, educated and tax paying urban wannabes are now at hand to repopulate Kansas City and restore its tax base. What's more, federal funds are available to help with the transit re-build. Yes, we need to fix our streets. But, investing first in modernizing transit will generate future revenues to do that and more. Thus, modernizing and expanding transit represents the best investment for our tax dollar. And when we build it, they will come. And when they come we will prosper with...less homicides. better schools, more families, more healthy density resulting in more revenue to maintain infrastructure. We will present ourselves with a new image as a livable, progressive and transit-oriented City.
PART 1: THE "TRANS GREENWAYS" (CENTERPIECE OF THE PETITION INITIATIVE PROPOSAL).
The petition's proposed new transit system centers around construction of a one-of-a-kind show-stopping 50-mile "Trans Greenway" network (dedicated green swath for rapid electric-powered transit, cycling and pedestrian use only.) No more dangerous mixing of bike lanes (and obsolete slow-moving streetcars) with traffic. The Trans Greenway will tie the City together and be enhanced by a new citywide all-electric bus system. This easy to navigate transit system will enable residents to move quickly about our City in style, safety and comfort. Union Station will serve as the hub. (See attached routes for "Trans Greenway System").
The "Troost Greenway" (See attached, "Conceptual rendering of "Troost Greenway") is designed to eliminate a stigmatized vehicular street (long a symbol of blight, hopelessness and racial divide) and replace it with a unifying transit / biking / walking Greenway that will forge a new image and stimulate new life (residential development and business activity) along the entire corridor of Troost Avenue.
Note: To greatly reduce construction costs, the Greenways will utilize... existing right-of-ways, park land, the grassy mediums of City Boulevards, entire blighted streets (like Troost) and also share street space on wide avenues like ... Broadway, North Oak Trafficway, etc.) All modes of transit within the Greenways will be quiet, zero-emission and employ features like... self-guidance systems, no overhead wires and signal priority.
Our legacy is to be "the City Beautiful." The petition vision seeks to realize that promise.
Next up Part Il - The petition's new modern modes of transit..."Ultra light rail," "Virtual rail" and electric buses.
Kansas City Community Activist, Clay Chastain
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You decide . . .
Groan........not again, Clay. BTW have you ever had a mental evaluation. Might help.
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