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Jul
8
A new local news site called the KC Tribune has a story about the sad fact that Union Station may not be able to serve as the transit hub that many leaders and advocates hope for. Many look at Union Station as the logical hub any future regional transit system, i.e. commuter rail form Southwestern Johnson and Eastern Jackson Counties, light rail along the central business corridor, future MAX bus lines, etc. Plus future expansion of intercity passenger rail. Unfortunately, there are two big problems with this idea….
First, the KCATA is likely to recommend Grand Boulevard as the preferred route for any light rail starter line. While it’s only a block away from Union Station, this route would preclude a singel central hub for all the systems.
Second, past planning mistakes have destroyed most of Union Station’s rail capacity. In the 1980s the city allowed the Two Pershing Square office building to replace the tracks on the east side of the station, a terrible mistake that former Mayor Berkley now admits was “the worst mistake” of his administration. In the 1990s the Cleaver administration repeated the mistake by building Science City on the west side of the station. Now Union Station is left with just two tracks and a single platform for passenger trains, when it used to have eight platforms and sixteen tracks.
This constrained capacity will limit the station’s ability to accommodate future commuter rail services. In fact, it has already been decided that any commuter rail line from the eastern suburbs won’t be able to fit at Union Station. A new station in the River Market will have to built instead. There is a lot of talk about re-establishing Union Station has a transportation hub, but people are only slowly realizing that repeated mistakes have made it difficult to do.
Union Station today (Google Earth)
Union Station in 1930 (KC Library)
Comments
11 Comments so far
This makes me so sad, that our government leaders would let something like this happen and then decide that there’s nothing they can do about it. Why not seize the office buildings under eminent domain — like it was decided was necessary for the P&L District (which nobody’s going to be travelling to “experience” with $4+ gas expenses and without some sort of transit to get them here)? And, operating on the notion that Science City is less necessary than public transit (and brings in less income than the transit and related foot traffic would), they could tear down Science City and open up that space for new tracks, perhaps re-using the materials from Science City’s demolition for shelters, decoration, or other useful things.
The City and its developers are constantly undoing and re-doing things regarding development; why should this case be any different??? Why not trying to effect POSITIVE change for once, instead of just trying to keep lining their pockets in a declining economy with unnecessary and unproductive-to-the-whole-city projects (like continued suburban expansion and development)?
with proper signage and enclosed walkways, you’d be surprised what can be done without eliminating any of the structures that are there today. what the ATA is really saying is that you won’t board a train at union station exactly the way you did in 1914 or the way you board Amtrak in 2008, not that the ENTIRE AREA cannot be made intermodal.
let’s say that commuter rail from johnson county happens. you could easily terminate that line closer to grand for a more direct connection with light rail. you could then create an enclosed walkway at track level that would allow a less-than-5-minute walk to Union Station.
if commuter rail from the east does terminate in the river market, it would still have a direct connection to light rail at that location, allowing a quick ride south to catch an amtrak train headed to lawrence or commuter train headed to olathe.
basically, if proximity doesn’t win out in the end, seamless connections can compensate.
Many of the urban development problems in KC (i.e. destruction of beautifully historic buildings, urban sprawl, etc.) are the result of the “out with the old, in with the new” mentality. It is a CONSUMER mentality. There is no reason why we cannot (with a little creativity) still make Union Station the central transit hub. We should not settle for making the primary hub somewhere else. Here’s a few ideas:
First, the track space just north of Union Station appears to have room for at least one more track to pass through. Why couldn’t we lay another track through there for the freight trains, freeing up the southern most track for commuter rail. That would give space to build another platform.
Also, there is a track space that actually passes into Union Station but is currently being used as part of the “KC Rail Experience” exhibit. Why couldn’t that be used as a commuter rail terminate?
Finally, there is a friggin’ huge parking lot right on the other side (east) of Main st. Why couldn’t the northern half of it be used for a commuter rail terminate and platform? That’s 3 potential train platforms just from glancing at the google satellite pic. C’mon people!
Isn’t there a way to blame Johnson County for this?
The Grand street alignment for a light rail line is not a problem. The ramp that Grand at 22nd street to the underside of the Union Station’s front parking late is not modern. It was originally built to connect the a street car line on Grand with Union Station.
Mark my word: In the not-so-distant future, maintaining a car will eat so much of the budget, the average budget that few people will be able to afford one. Transit companies will be granted tax money to expand. We are moving into a new era of REALLY expensive energy where even depleting natural gas will cause winter home heating to be cut by 50% by 2020…brace yourselves people.
Somehow my post got mangled. Second try.
The Grand street alignment for a light rail line is not a problem. The ramp that leads from Grand at 22nd street to the underside of Union Station’s front parking is not modern. It was originally built to connect the street car line on Grand with Union Station.
Joe,
So what would OK Street (the ramp from Grand to Union Station) be used for if the light rail line goes down Grand?
Grand has been picked by the Hall Lobby. More people will be with in the “walking distance” and potentially riding if the rail went down Main.
There is little reason to debate the things that “should” be done. We will vote and if it loses we will not get what we want. If it wins the details, all of the details (read the ballot language) will be picked for us by the powerful political persons who stand to gain from the route etc.and again we will not get what we want nor most likely what we need.
That’s nothing new. The “Powers That Be” have been deciding what’s best for the “unwashed masses” for centuries.
If Union Station is not used as the Transit Hub for any and all transit plans put to a vote I will work very diligently to defeat them, If twenty other persons would take the same oath we can defeat the rich powerful lobbyists.