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The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is leading a two-phase study of changing transportation needs in Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte counties. The study partners include the counties and cities in the five-county area, KDOT, the Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA), Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), and the Lawrence-Douglas County Metro Planning Organization. The study area includes 35 cities and numerous districts and unincorporated areas. The study area is the fastest growing region in the state of Kansas.

What is the purpose of the study?

Rapid economic development in five northeast Kansas counties is straining the transportation infrastructure needed to support the growth and there is never enough money to address the needs. The purpose of the study is to develop recommendations that are technically feasible, politically acceptable, and financially realistic to help address the situation. The study began in September 2008 and has three goals:

Assess the multi-modal transportation needs
Prioritize the needs
Develop strategies to address the needs

Why is a study needed?

Travel patterns are changing due to significant land developments. A number of land developments are underway or planned in the region. Examples include the intermodal facility near Gardner, the Kansas Speedway area, and the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant near DeSoto. Transportation needs in the five counties are inter-connected and individuals do not always identify with a county line as they're traveling. Many people don't spend their entire day in one city or even in one county. People routinely travel through more than one of the five counties in a single day for work, shopping, school or recreation.

Billions of dollars in transportation needs have been identified by studies already completed. Even more needs are likely to be identified in studies that are currently underway. We need to coordinate the studies to understand the "transportation big picture."

Funding will be challenging so we need to prioritize the needs and match them with future funding. The study will not result in a "wish list" of projects. No funding has been identified to implement any improvements. The study will be the basis for later, more detailed project discussions.

What challenges does the study face?

Involving the key stakeholders and the public in such a large region. The five counties include 35 cities, five fixed-route transit agencies, two metropolitan planning organizations and two state agencies (KDOT and the Kansas Turnpike Authority). Providing meaningful opportunities to involve affected stakeholders throughout the region will also be a challenge.

Avoiding duplication with other planning efforts. Several other KDOT highway studies are already underway in the region. MARC also recently completed work on its long-range transportation plan called Transportation Outlook 2040, and continues to work on the Smart Moves Regional Transit Plan. The Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization is also conducting a study on the K-10/US-40 corridor and continues to be involved in coordination efforts between the City of Lawrence Transit System (The "T") and the University of Kansas Transit System ("KU on Wheels").

Some key issues extend beyond the five-county area. For instance, Leavenworth and Lansing are interested in better direct access to Kansas City International Airport; there is interest in transit service between Topeka and the Kansas City area; possible freight travel between intermodal facilities in Gardner and Grandview and area distribution centers needs to be considered; and there is interest in more efficient east-west travel between Kansas and Missouri.

What are the benefits of doing this study?

The five-county study area contains over 35 cities and other jurisdictions, each working to manage its own growth and serve its citizens. Growing transportation needs aren’t something that can be successfully addressed by individual communities. A collaborative approach will benefit communities and travelers in the face of limited funding resources.

What will happen if we don't do this study?

Without this study, growth will continue but cooperation and planning between jurisdictions will not be as coordinated. A high level of development is already underway in this area and growth is likely to continue at a rapid pace. As a result, changes in traffic patterns and increases in volume are virtually inevitable.

How much is the study expected to cost?

Phase 1 was completed with a budget of $1 million. Funding for Phase 2 has been set at $1.5 million.

How can I keep informed on the study's progress?

There are several options for keeping up-to-date including visiting this website or joining the study email distribution list to receive study updates, newsletters and meeting notifications.

Who can I contact about this study?

If you have questions, comments or are looking for additional information, please contact Erin Ollig, Shockey Consulting Services, at erin@shockeyconsulting.com or (913) 248-9585.

What is a stakeholder?

A stakeholder is anyone who has an economic, cultural, social, or environmental "stake" or interest in the study. In this case, it is anyone who travels, shops, owns a business or lives in the study area. It could also be someone who buys goods or services that originate or travel through this area.

What does multi-modal mean?

This term is commonly used in transportation planning and refers to different types (modes) of transportation. This could include cars, buses, public transit, pedestrians, bicyclists, carpooling and more. It also could include options that don't utilize roads such as trains and airplanes.

For the purpose of this study, multimodal is defined as all modes of transportation (people, goods, freight, transit, roadways, nonmotorized, connections between modes). This study will look at how the major state transportation facilities support a community's desire for a multimodal transportation system.

What were the results of Phase 1?

Extensive input and stakeholder involvement resulted in a comprehensive inventory of transportation needs in the five-county area. Participants identified issues and needs throughout the duration of Phase 1. Recommended goals and potential strategies were identified. You may view the entire Phase 1 report in the Reports section.

Why was Phase 1 necessary? Why couldn't we just skip ahead to creating a plan?

Because of the large geographic area as well as the magnitude of developments and projects already underway, it was important to take sufficient time to gather information so that during Phase 2 the needs are known and all potential strategies are considered.

What is planned for Phase 2?

In Phase 2, information from Phase 1 will be used to develop a 5-County Regional Transportation Plan with priorities and preferred strategies and potential projects identified. Phase 2 began in January 2011 and is expected to last 18 months

There are so many other studies and plans already going on in this area. How is this one different?

One of the challenges is avoiding duplication with other studies and being clear with citizens to prevent confusion. We are coordinating communication, schedules and research with other studies so everyone is aware of shared goals and purpose. The 5-County Study is important so that transportation funds are used efficiently and effectively in shaping the future.

Specifically, how is this study different from T-LINK? Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius convened the Transportation-Leveraging Investments in Kansas (T-LINK) task force to develop recommendations for a long-range transportation plan for the entire state of Kansas. The 5-County Regional Transportation Study is focused on Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte Counties, which allows a deeper focus on issues facing this area. Information developed by one effort will inform the work of the other.

Specifically, how is this study different from MARC's Transportation Outlook 2040? Transportation Outlook 2040 is the long-term vision for the bi-state Kansas City region's multimodal transportation system. This updated plan includes policies, actions, funding strategies, and projects and will serve as the federally-recognized guide for making this vision a reality. The 5-County Regional Transportation Study focuses solely on an area in Kansas. MARC is a partner in the 5-County Study. Information developed by one effort will inform the work of the other.

Specifically, how is this study different from T-WORKS? In May 2010, the new state multiyear transportation funding program, T-WORKS, began. T-WORKS is a funding program that is based on policy recommendations of T-LINK. Expansion and modernization projects will be selected in 2011 based on engineering factors, economic impact, and local consultation. T-WORKS is a 10-year program. In contrast, the 5-County Study will develop recommendations through 2040.

How can you be sure you will be able to fully understand the issues and develop sound strategies for this area?

Participation from a wide variety of individuals will be a critical part of this process. So that there is a contribution from many voices, during Phase 1, the Study Core Team established a Stakeholder Advisory Panel and working groups for specific transportation issues and conducted additional individual interviews. The Study Core Team also held a transportation summits, Community Dialogue sessions in each of the five counties, and conducted a virtual and live meeting towards the end of Phase 1. Opportunities for input were made throughout the study area to encourage the contribution of additional viewpoints. During Phase 2, the Stakeholder Advisory Panel will reconvene and a new Corridor Strategies Working Group will be developed. A workshop is planned as is another virtual meeting.

How were individuals selected to participate in the Stakeholder Advisory Panel, transportation summits, working groups and individual interviews?

Individuals were selected so that a variety of geographic locations, population sizes and interests are represented. Because of the large scope of the study it was impossible to include someone from every jurisdiction and organization involved. Many individuals were selected because they already serve in a transportation role for their organization or community.

Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization