KCATA Celebrates Next Step in Prospect MAX Expansion

(Kansas City, Mo. – March 20, 2018) - On Friday, March 23, at 10:00 a.m. inside the cafeteria of Alphapointe, Alphapointe President and CEO Reinhard Mabry will be joined by KCATA President and CEO Robbie Makinen for a ceremonial signing. The signing is for the acquisition of land that will be used to complete the Prospect MAX bus rapid transit line. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority will be completing the purchase of a 1.8-acre parcel of land on the northwest side of Alphapointe’s property located at 75th Street and Prospect.

“This is more than just putting four tires on the street. This is about community development and economic development along the corridor,” said KCATA President and CEO Robbie Makinen. “We’re going to bring state-of-the-art technology that will set us apart from other transit agencies in the country. We’re excited and Kansas City will be too when they hear what’s coming.”

“People who are blind and have other disabilities many times are dependent on public transportation to get to work, go to medical appointments, shopping and to live as independently as possible,” Alphapointe President and CEO Reinhard Mabry said. “Enhanced public transportation options enhance quality of life.”

Alphapointe Call Center Project Lead Cameron Black said, “As a husband and father who is blind and providing for his family, it is crucial to my success to have a mode of transportation I can always count on to get me to work, and home to my wife and little girl as safely and quickly as possible. This is just one more step in the right direction, of making people like myself and my fellow coworkers, productive and independent members of society.”

WHO:
Robbie Makinen, President and CEO, KCATA
Reinhard Mabry, President and CEO, Alphapointe

WHAT: 
Ceremonial Signing of Purchase Agreement for land for Transit Development

WHEN:
Friday, March 23 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:
7501 Prospect, Kansas City, MO 64132

About Alphapointe

Alphapointe has been empowering people with vision loss to achieve their goals and aspirations since its founding in 1911. Alphapointe, the third largest employer of people who are blind in the U.S., with manufacturing operations in both the States of Missouri and New York, has nearly 400 employees, of which 230 are blind or visually impaired. Alphapointe’s business lines include plastics, micro-molding, office products manufacturing and sales, textiles manufacturing and sales, janitorial products, contact center services, retail stores and comprehensive rehabilitation and education programs for children, youth, adults and seniors who are blind or are losing their vision. For more info about Alphapointe, visit www.alphapointe.org.