Johnson County budget cuts threaten The Jo

After years of expansion, bus service in Johnson County, KS may be dramatically scaled back in the face of looming cuts in federal, state and county government subsidies. Changes to several routes will come this year, with the future of transit service in the county in the balance after 2013.

Ridership on the Johnson County Transit (JCT) The JO is at its highest ever, up 100 percent from a decade ago. The past few years have seen double-digit percentage increases, and the passenger count in April was 48,700, the highest ever for that month.

But county officials are contending with less funding as budgets are slashed at many levels of government. Transit service is expensive with only 16.7 percent of the JO’s revenue generated by rider fares – the rest is government subsidy. This funding dynamic is typical of bus services nationwide.

Until recently, planners were expecting a combined $1.5 million reduction in funding from federal, state and county sources in 2013 to an operating budget of only $12 million. With these cuts, the future of only five of the county’s 24 routes was certain.

The impact lessened when state cuts were put off for a year, and county officials authorized the use of reserve funds to make up for the drop in federal money. Potentially, the largest cuts could be put off until 2014.

Still, planners are drawing up contingencies to adapt to emptier coffers. They hope to keep Special Edition and SWIFT service for the elderly and disabled, and preserve fixed-route lines along Metcalf, which are well used.

Before the year is over, though, JCT may reduce or eliminate service on some underperforming routes. The transit authority is also considering reworking its agreement with First Transit, the private company that runs Johnson County’s buses, when its contract comes up for renewal at the end of the year. The county could again contract with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) – which serves Kansas City, MO, some Missouri suburbs and KCK – to provide some fixed-route service. KCATA ran Johnson County bus service until 1982.

JCT may also ask the City of Lawrence and the University of Kansas to foot part of the bill for the 710 K-10 Connector line, as neither entity currently contributes.

 

Posted on May 17, 2012 by marylynn in: Transportation 0comments

Thousands of Missourians bike to work

National Bike to Work day is Friday, May 18, and tens of thousands of Missourians will be riding again this year.

“Bicycling to work is on a huge upward swing in Missouri,” said Brent Hugh, executive director of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation. “From 2000 to 2010, the amount of bicycling to work increased by 70 percent. In our large metro areas, the story is even more dramatic – biking to work almost tripled in both Kansas City and St. Louis over the past decade.”

The increases in bicycling to work put Missouri well ahead of the national trends. Overall in the U.S., bicycling to work increased by 40 percent from 2000 to 2010.

In 2010, Senator Will Kraus sponsored a bill adding Missouri Bike Month (May), Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day to the Missouri state holidays calendar. The bill was signed by Governor Nixon and went into effect in August 2011, making this the first year the even is officially recognized in Missouri’s holiday calendar.

Information about events happening around Missouri can be found on the MoBikeFed website: www.mobikefed.org.

Posted on May 16, 2012 by marylynn in: Transportation 0comments

KC Toyota training facility receives LEED gold certification

Toyota motor Sales’ technical training facility in Kansas City has received LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third party certification program and validation tool for the design, construction and operation of high performance buildings.
Sabatini Architects, based in Lawrence, KS, led the design of the 10,000 square foot expansion with AL Huber acting as general contractor. The facility is located near Kansas City International Airport, and provides offices, classrooms and a complete auto shop for ongoing training of Toyota dealer mechanics in the region.
Project highlights include:
• Rain garden and swales planted with native vegetation treat 100 percent of the parking lot and roof storm water.
• High efficiency HVAC system consumes 50 percent less energy than previous system.
• 100 percent of the building’s energy use is offset by investment in certified renewable energy development (176 kwH/year).
• Dual flush toilets, waterless urinals and efficient faucets reduce water consumption by 49,800 gallons of water per year.
• 99 percent of construction waste was diverted from the landfill for salvage or recycling.
Posted on May 07, 2012 by marylynn in: LEED 0comments

Meet Me at the Bridge party features water fair

Brush Creek Community Partners and the Green Impact Zone present Meet Me At the Bridge, a celebration of community with the dedication of the new Troost Avenue Bridge over Brush Creek.  The 5:00 pm dedication will feature Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II and other civic leaders.  The public is invited to start the evening at the dedication and then stay to enjoy a street fair and performances by some of Kansas City’s best jazz talent until 11:00 pm.  The show will feature Book of Gaia with Nedra Dixon, Angela Hagenbach and Pamela Baskin-Watson, and Bobby Watson with David Basse.  Mayor Sly James will be the emcee. The event is free and open to the public.

At the event, participate in a variety of activities at the WaterWorks! tent, sponsored by Bridging the Gap:

• Free in home water eco-kits, including a showerhead, faucet aerators and a toilet tank bank.
• Test your water knowledge by participating in a water game show created by Kansas City’s leading urban youth sustainability and environmental education non-profit, Green Works.
• Learn about how rain barrels can save water.
• View a 3D tabletop rain garden demonstration.
• Learn about services WaterWorks can provide, including free downspout disconnections or re-directs and $100 rebates for the installation of high-efficiency toilets.

Posted on May 03, 2012 by marylynn in: Sustainability, Water 0comments

Fujifilm installs solar panels at its North Kansas City facility

North Kansas City, Mo., April 18, 2012 – In an effort to bring down costs while keeping its corporate commitment to sustainability, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division has selected Conergy’s PH 235P panels to install on its North Kansas City, Missouri manufacturing facility. One of the first solar construction projects installed in this part of the metro area, the installation was completed by local clean-energy integrator Brightergy this winter. With 216 modules, the solar installation will produce about 60,000 kWh annually, which is equivalent to taking 600 cars off the road for a year.

With this installation, Fujifilm will realize a substantial cost savings on its current energy usage. In addition, the company will be able to take advantage of the utilities net energy metering program, which will provide ongoing benefits. Globally, Fujifilm has a Greenhouse gas target set at 30% reduction in CO2 emissions by Fiscal Year 2020, as compared to 2005.

“Conergy recently supplied its premium module panels at Fujifilm’s facility in Hawaii last year, and this installation in North Kansas City marks the second solar project for Fujifilm in North America,” said Ray Hosoda, President and CEO, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “This solar panel project will help play a role in Fujifilm’s corporate mission of energy conservation and Greenhouse gas reduction. The combination of Conergy’s PH-Series modules, along with Brightergy’s unique efforts to bring us an affordable, clean, and renewable energy solution, will continue to help us make strides toward our energy goals.”

The Fujifilm installation is the first project with Brightergy. “Fujifilm’s choice of this location was a good one due to the excellent economic incentives in the state of Missouri,” said Susan Brown, principal, Brightergy Solar Solutions. “And Conergy’s PH series panels, matched with our talents and resources as a solar energy integrator, will not only help Fujifilm reach its sustainability goals, but it is a fantastic financial investment for them as well.”

Posted on Apr 23, 2012 by marylynn in: Renewable Energy 0comments