RideKC will eliminate the 596 3-Trails-Edgerton route, which takes passengers from south Kansas City, Mo. to southwest Johnson County, Kan., on July 1, 2019. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) grant that funded the route during its first year of operation will end and no new funding has been identified.
“The 3-Trails-Edgerton route was a partnership with KDOT using one-time funding to explore the demand for commuter transit service in an area not previously served,” said Josh Powers, business liaison for Johnson County. “Now that the pilot has ended, the ridership wasn’t sufficient to include the route as a permanent part of our system.”
Service to Gardner, Kan., and Edgerton, Kan., will still be provided by the 595 Gardner-OP Express route. This route is accessible from 3-Trails Transit Center by taking either the Troost MAX to downtown Kansas City or by taking the 75 75th Street route to the Waldo MAX station (Broadway at 74th Terrace) and then either the 475 Quivira-75th Street or the 495 95th Street to Oak Park Mall. These options will significantly increase travel time for passengers currently using the 596 route from 3-Trails Transit Center.