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Kansas City News Today Kansas City Front Page is a weekly news publication, with daily updates, spotlighting attractions, events, business and hospitality in Kansas City. |
KANSAS CITY NEWS TODAY - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Mayor Unveils Action Plan to Make Kansas City Better for Bicyclists KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 20, 2008 - In honor of Bike Week 2008, Mayor Mark Funkhouser unveiled an action plan to make Kansas City better for bicyclists during a special presentation at Illus Davis Park, Freedom of Speech Circle. Mayor Funkhouser was joined by City Councilman Russ Johnson, who rode 14 miles to the event from his home in the Northland. "Kansas City is a beautiful city, but we need to do more to make it an ideal place to bicycle so folks can better enjoy its beauty," Mayor Funkhouser said. "Also, with the rising cost of gasoline, and an increased interest in 'green' solutions, more and more people are bicycling to and from work. Our city should provide an environment where this is a safe and viable choice." "We have lots of work to do to make Kansas City more bike-friendly," said Councilman Johnson, who rode to downtown in part to show how difficult it can be to navigate Kansas City on a bike. "We have bike trails and bike lanes that go for a mile or two and then abruptly stop, giving way to busy streets. But we're taking steps to change all that and make Kansas City a much better place to bike." The action plan will outline steps leading to the City of Kansas City, Missouri, achieving "Platinum Designation" by the League of American Bicyclists by the year 2020. The League of American Bicyclists' platinum designation is a measure of how bicycle friendly a community is. The focus is on helping bicyclists of all ages enjoy riding with safety, comfort and convenience. Applicant communities are judged on established criteria. The criteria examine the use of engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation and planning. Currently, the cities of Davis, California, and Portland, Oregon, are the only cities recognized by the League of American Bicyclists with a platinum designation. 73 other cities have received designations of either bronze, silver or gold. To facilitate the implementation of the Action Plan, Councilman Johnson has introduced an ordinance to establish a citizens' committee to advise the Mayor and Council about bicycle and pedestrian issues. "This is just a step toward the platinum designation," Councilman Johnson said. "But it's something we must do to make Kansas City a community of choice for the entire region." "Tranz Tag" Lets Youths Ride The Metro All Summer KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 20, 2008 - Metro Tranz Tag is the inexpensive, convenient and safe way for teens to get around all summer long. For $10 a month, 12- to 18-year-olds can get a Tranz Tag for June, July and August. Order forms are available in schedule racks throughout the city, at The Metro office at 1200 E. 18th Street, online, or by calling (816) 221-0660. Teens who already have a Metro Youth Reduced farecard just need to fill out and mail the order form. Also include a check or money order. If a teen does not have a Metro Youth Reduced Farecard, a copy of a birth certificate or driver's license will be required. Tranz Tag will be available for walk-in sales at The Metro office, 1200 E. 18th Street. June tags will be available May 23 - June 18; July tags will be available June 23 - July 18; August tags will be available July 25 - August 18. Checks will not be accepted for walk-in sales. Online orders and mail orders for June Tranz Tags must be received by May 16; July Tranz Tag orders must be received by June 16; July 17 is the deadline for August orders. The tags are color-coded and good only for the designated month. Tags used by anyone other than the teen will be confiscated. For further information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., City to Increase Enforcement of Bulky Collection Pick-up Rules KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 20, 2008 - The City of Kansas City, Mo., Public Works Department is notifying residents that in the interest of improving service for all residents, it has increased the enforcement of rules associated with the Bulky Item Collection Program. Residents placing non-bulky items at the curb will receive notification that their items do not qualify for collection. Non-bulky items will be left at the curb. If non-bulky items are placed in a pile with bulky items, all items are likely to be left at the curb. Crews will not separate the material for collection. An item qualifies as bulky if it is too large for regular trash service. Typical bulky items are refrigerators, stoves, freezers, dishwashers, dryers, sofas, chairs, desks, tables, doors and carpet. The City does not consider an item to be bulky if it can be accommodated by regular trash service. Non-qualifying items are bags of trash, boxes of trash and remodeling debris. Such items should be placed in a trash bag for regular trash collection and weigh less than 40 pounds. The City advises residents with debris resulting from remodeling and construction projects too large to be accommodated by regular trash service to inquire with private solid waste companies. The rules for the Bulky Item Collection Program have been in place for many years and are observed by many residents. The decision to increase enforcement is due to a significant increase in the number of non-bulky items placed curbside. This increase has resulted in a significant delay and added expense to the program. For a complete listing of the City's rules regarding bulky item collection or for more information about regular trash, recycling and solid waste collection, visit www.kcmo.org/trash or call the 3-1-1 Action Center, a division of the City Manager's Office, (816) 513-1313 or 311. Ozone Alert! Season Starts June 1 KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 20, 2008 - During the summer, Kansas City is more vulnerable to unhealthy ozone pollution. Between June 1 and September 30, when the area is under an Ozone Alert!, bus fare will be only 50¢ for all customers. Also, during these months, customers who purchase monthly passes can use a coupon to save $2 off full fare passes, or $1 off reduced fare passes. A coupon code is required for passes purchased from The Metro's online store - visit store.kcata.org for more information. Brochures with coupons are available on buses. You can also pick up a brochure at the ATA offices at 1200 E. 18th Street, at Metro schedule racks, or request the brochure by emailing your address to metro@kcata.org. Hold on to your coupons for the duration of the ozone season. To learn the day's ozone forecast, call 913-383-7557 or visit www.marc.org   The Kansas City Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 2007 - 2008 Moore Design Group. |
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