The 'Problem'

The 'South Metro Connection' is a proposed solution to the 'problem' faced by commuters living in Northern Cass County Missouri and working in Johnson County Kansas. Another 'problem' that is addressed by the 'South Metro' is routing for full truckload carriers operating from 71 Highway in Missouri and from the Richards Gebauer intermodal center to I-35 at Gardner Kansas.

Problem #1. Transporation Studies conducted by MARC indicate that there is current and projected future demand for improved roads and access from Cass County Missouri to Johnson County Kansas. In particular the studies indicate that growing residential population in Northern Cass County is faced with a long commute to jobs located in Johnson County Kansas. This problem has not been solved by public road expenditures on 71 Highway and I-435 that have been made to give population up and down 71 Highway access to the Kansas City central business district and Kansas. Furthering the problem is that this population is presently commuting to their Johnson County jobs by using existing, inadequte east-west roads that access 69 Highway in Kansas and then on to the various commercial office developments near I-435.

Problem #2. A significant percentage of goods consumed in this region are delivered via truck. Over the road carriers deliver goods to distribution and retail locations throughout the 9 county MARC planning region. There is significant, full truckload carrier traffic on 71 Highway and I-70 in Missouri and the same on 69 Highway, I-35, and I-70 in Kansas. The problem is that traffic moving from anywhere in Western Missouri to Kansas must move on either I-70 or I-435. More specifically, truck traffic of any kind that originates from Richards Gebauer in Missouri moving to I-35 and then south, must move to 71 Highway, to I-435, and finally to I-35. The 'problem' is that this is a circuitous route that takes extra time and fuel to drive.

Problem # 3. Southern and Southeastern Johnson County will continue to develop over time. Assuming increasing population in these general areas, there will be pressure to provide more and better roads for this local traffic. As land values increase and the cost of buying land for local roads increases, there are times when it makes sense to buy land in advance and hold the 'right of way' until its time to actually build the roads. The secret of addressing this 'problem' is knowing where the people and therefore the roads will be in the future. Issues related to forecasting population location produce a significant amount of uncertainty into this process. Many factors that affect the outcome are virtually impossible to predict-fuel prices, household size, socio-economic factors, and competition.

Home | Contact Us | © 2008 South Metro Opposition Coalition, PO Box 435, Stilwell Ks 66085
  • Providing access and shortening trips is the primary objective of constructing public roads.
  • In the beginning roads were built where the population located.
  • More recently, roads are built well before there is population to serve. This phenomenon produces a "chicken and egg" dilemma when analyzing public projects.
  • 'Build it and they will come' does seem to work as a way to develop a residential and commercial population.
  • By developing these populations public entities develop tax revenues that are used to finance public goods and services. Controlling and stopping this cycle when needed is difficult.
  • Another phenomenon that apparently drives public project decision making is building roads to join existing population with potential future development.
  • For example, if there is developable ground, developers to develop the ground, construction companies to build public and private projects, and a population that cannot access potential development, it can be very tempting to build transportation infrastructure that will facilitate development.