APA Quad State Conference brings hundreds of planners to Kansas City

MARC was a proud sponsor of the 2026 APA Quad State Conference in Kansas City on Oct. 28-30. Staff joined hundreds of planners, visionaries and community‑builders from Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska for the sold-out, energizing three‑day gathering.

Workshops and panels

Topics like “Shark Tank-Planners Version”, “Follow the Yellow Brick ROAD to Federal Planning Policy” and “Beyond Buzzwords: Building inclusive Planning Workplaces” offered participants an opportunity to share ideas, make connections and explore new approaches to shaping the places we call home.

Representatives from Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas; RideKC; Johnson County, Kansas; and Kansas City Streetcar Authority joined a panel with MARC Transportation Planning Director Martin Rivarola, highlighting transit in the Kansas City region and the value of regional collaboration.

MARC Transportation Planner Lukas Yanni presented a workshop titled “Now What? Moving Transit Planning Into Action.”

These conversations highlighted the importance of working across communities and organizations as we plan for the region’s transportation future.

Organizers sought to “unconference the conference,” encouraging participants to tell stories, hold conversations and take part in engaging activities so that planners leave feeling energized and empowered to drive change.