Clay Chastain Presents Top 10 Transit Questions To Kansas City

This town's most prolific petitioner offers something to consider as election day approaches . . .

Clay Chastain: As Petitioners ready to purview with voters (on Primary Election Day, August 2) about the surging "Green Alternative Transportation Initiative", Clay Chastain answers voters top 10 questions about the revolutionary Initiative that promises to change the City's face, its priorities and its course of destiny. (See attached estimated budget).

1. Why are you doing this when you no longer live in Kansas City? Though most of my family lives in KC, I have a remaining family obligation in Virginia until 2024. Meanwhile, KC remains my home away from home and where I have been a registered voter for 40-years.

2. Why is such a big infrastructure project being proposed by Initiative and not City Hall, and what are your qualifications? City Hall has no such vision because it has prioritized glitzy projects that favor the elite, tourists and inside developers. This is an All-Electric Transportation System and I am a Degreed Electrical Engineer with transit design experience.

3. Isn't the idea of an Airport Monorail more Disneyland-type stuff? Not anymore. With the advances in monorail technology and reduction in construction costs, a rapid elevated monorail is the perfect transit choice to connect our distant KCI Airport to Downtown.

4. This isn't a plan to further expand the streetcar for tourists is it? Not hardly. The City's limited and slow-moving streetcar runs in traffic and costs $100 million per mile. The rapid Monorail & "Ultra Light Rail" cost far less, construct far quicker and connect the entire City.

5. What does it cost and who is going to pay for it? $1.9 billion. The bulk of the funding is expected to come from the Congress-approved Infrastructure Bill. The rest from extending (25-years) the 3/8-cent bus sales tax and imposing a new 1/4-cent sales tax for 25-years.

6. Are the "Greenways" going to eliminate cars on some City streets? In some cases yes, like on blighted Troost Avenue. In most cases, they will limit traffic and share the roadway (or use an existing right-of-way) in order to make it safe for cyclists and pedestrians.

7. What's wrong with the City's bus system and why do we need electric buses? Everything. It costs taxpayers $100 million per year, only 5% of residents use it and it does nothing to grow and prosper our City. Electric buses are cleaner, quieter and more efficient.

8. Is the new alternative transportation system going to serve struggling parts of the City? Absolutely. That is where there is much emphasis. New permanent rail lines will improve transportation options and simultaneously generate affordable housing along the routes.

9. Will I die before all of this can be built? Not likely. Both the Monorail and the Ultra Light Rail can be constructed in 2-3 years (just in time for the 2026 World Cup). This is because neither rail system requires deep underground utility relocation or massive street upheaval.

10. Why is this a priority when there are other needs and violent crime is so bad? Affordable housing and affordable transportation are two necessary benefits a City must provide. The new transportation system will spawn multiple benefits .Defeat crime with opportunity.

* Our opportunity is golden for Kansas City voters to take charge, uplift our City and lead it in a more favorable direction.   

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