North Oak Corridor Transit Improvement Study

North Oak Fast and Frequent Transit 

The North Oak Corridor Transit Improvement Study builds on past studies of the area, and evaluates transit concepts that integrate key recommendations while advancing the community’s goals and objectives. This planning study evaluated ways to enhance transit service in the North Oak corridor and is focused on how to implement these improvements.

Early in the study, stakeholders developed the following objectives for the study.

• Deploy fast and frequent service in primary corridors, in keeping with Smart Moves 3.0 
• Match service levels to markets and transit potential
• Optimize operating funding investment and ridership
• Improve mobility in the Northland
• Support future and existing economic development

The evaluation concluded that fast and frequent service to Barry Road (near Hwy 169) is the preferred alternative based on corridor needs, travel patterns, existing ridership, and locally expressed preference. An important conclusion was that a significant transit investment in the North Oak corridor is warranted. A local service extension to Boardwalk Square was also found to be warranted and the recommended service would operate similarly to Main MAX and Troost MAX with select trips providing full service to Boardwalk Square.

The service plan for the recommended enhanced North Oak service will align with KCATA’s stated guidelines for fast and frequent service. The recommended service would operate from 4:45 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. Monday through Friday (weekdays), 6:15 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. on Saturdays, and 8:15 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. on Sundays. Service levels would be approximately twice the 2019 service levels on 201 with 15-minute frequency during the weekday and 30-minute service on evenings and weekends.

In addition to more frequent service and branded vehicles, RideKC MAX service includes highly visible stations. Two types of improvements are recommended for the corridor:

• Enhanced Stations: Full stations with a high level of passenger amenities, in keeping with other MAX stations within the network
• Improved Stops: Basic amenities with improved pedestrian access and waiting areas. This category of improvement would be for lower volume stops along the route. 

A new funding mechanism is required to support any new regional services.

In 2020, the KCATA was awarded funding from the federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) to provide transit improvements on the North Oak corridor, along with several other corridors in the RideKC system. While this funding does not provide for the full implementation of the North Oak Transit Improvement Plan, it allows for a series of smaller infrastructure improvements that can position the corridor for easier conversion to Bus paid Transit (BRT) service. Likely projects include upgrading high-ridership bus stops, pedestrian accessibility, and transit priority measures such as signal timing improvements. While KCATA does not receive this funding until 2023, planning and engineering work will begin in 2021.

See the full report: North Oak Corridor Transit Improvement Study [PDF].

Click to view a larger version of the map. [PDF]