About Transportation Outlook 2040
Why Transportation Matters
Transportation is part of our experience every day, connecting us to jobs, our families, entertainment, the things we buy and other basic needs. It enables us to have a high quality of life. The transportation system is made up of many pieces that work together to move people and goods around and through the metro area — including people, vehicles, roadways, bridges, sidewalks, rivers, railways and traffic signals.
What is a Long-Range Transportation Plan?
A long-range transportation plan serves as a blueprint for managing the region's transportation system. Required by the federal government, this plan identifies transportation improvements for the next 20 to 30 years. We'll want to consider:
- Projected population growth
- Maintenance of transportation facilities
- Safety
- Quality of life
- Preserving the human and natural environment
- Current and future transportation needs (air, bicycle, bus, pedestrian, rail, roads, water, etc.)
By establishing transportation goals for the region, we lay a foundation for the kinds of plans and projects that will provide the best transportation solutions.
About Kansas City's Transportation Outlook 2040
As the planning organization for metro Kansas City, the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) is required to develop a long-range transportation plan that guides transportation decision making and funding decisions over a period of several decades. Transportation Outlook 2040 will be the region's new long-term plan, looking ahead 30 years. The plan will identify needs and budget federal transportation funds that the metro area expects to receive over the next three decades. It will contain:
- VISION: a long-term vision for the region's transportation system
- GOALS & STRATEGIES: what we want to achieve by the year 2040 and how we plan to do it
- TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS: major regional transportation investments
that help accomplish goals
While this long-range plan is a required document, MARC sees the development of a new plan as an opportunity to address our region's vision for the future. A robust, well-functioning transportation system in itself is not the end we all seek. Instead, transportation is a means to carry us into our desired future. So, what is that future? How will transportation get us there?
Finances
Transportation Outlook 2040 must be financially constrained. This means that MARC must forecast how much revenue the region will receive in the next 30 years, and develop a list of projects that meet our goals and do not exceed our projected revenue. This requirement of the plan presents significant challenges. Transportation funding from the federal government has been in flux, and our prior revenue projections for our region have not materialized. We know transportation funds will be in short supply in the future, and our region will have some tough decisions to make about priorities.
Approach to Developing the Plan
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TRANSPORTATION:
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ENVIRONMENT:
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GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT:
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How do we provide an affordable, robust transportation system?
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How can transportation planning safeguard or enhance our natural environment? |
How can our region's growth and development support our transportation goals?
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The preparation of this report is financed in part with funding from United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), administered by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The opinions, findings and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of USDOT, KDOT and MoDOT.
© Mid-America Regional Council | 