Johnson County Expansion Celebrated

Expanded RideKC transit service launched in Johnson County last week as officials from the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and Johnson County greeted riders at four metro area bus stops.

Among those greeting riders were Johnson County Commissioners Steve Klika and Michael Ashcraft and Deputy County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. Klika also chairs the KCATA Board of Commissioners.

Transit staffers gave riders special RideKC mugs at stops in Waldo, Mission, Oak Park Mall and Johnson County Community College, all locations served by the expanded transit service. Free-ride passes also were given to riders who wanted to sample the new service.

The new transit service is intended to provide better regional connections to employers, higher education institutions, as well as stores and restaurants in Johnson County.

Riders can more easily reach places such as Oak Park Mall, Johnson County Community College, Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Sprint, Park Place and Prairiefire because of the new service.

The expanded service features a new east-west route on 95th Street, running from Oak Park Mall west through Leawood and Prairie Village before connecting to Ward Parkway Center and ultimately the Waldo neighborhood in Kansas City, Mo. The route will be extended to Lenexa next year.

Service is doubling on 75th Street from Kansas City, Mo. through Prairie Village, Overland Park, Merriam and Shawnee then south on Quivira through Lenexa and Overland Park. Buses are now running every 30 minutes at rush hour and every hour at mid-day.

Other services now available:

• New destinations were added to the 556-Metcalf/Plaza route. The service now extends to the Prairiefire mall and Johnson County Community College at rush hour. Service will alternate trips between Prairiefire and the community college.
• A fourth round trip to Overland Park from Kansas City, Mo. was added to the 75-75th Street route during the morning and afternoon rush hours. The 75-75 Street is newly renumbered. It was the 175-75th Street route before Monday.

The first rider on the 495-95th Street, via Twitter.