Metro Area Express
Encyclopedia
The Metro Area Express is the bus rapid transit service run by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
in Kansas City, Missouri
, United States
. The first service opened on Main Street
on July 2005. The second service on Troost Avenue
opened on January 1, 2011. MAX was an instant success, with ridership on the first MAX line increasing more than 50%. While the Main MAX Line was not the first BRT line in the United States, its immediate success and affordable execution have garnered recognition across the country. The Federal Transit Administration
holds it up as a model BRT line.
; Metcalf Avenue through Johnson County, Kansas
; North Oak Trafficway to Missouri Route 152; and for the US Highway 24 and 40 corridor towards Independence, Missouri
.
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority is a public transit operator in Kansas City, Missouri. It is the operator of the Metro Area Express Bus Rapid Transit service and 69 Local Bus routes in Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte Counties in Missouri and Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte Counties in...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The first service opened on Main Street
Main Street (Kansas City)
Main Street or Main is a major north/south main street that runs in Kansas City, Missouri. It most likely starts at the Missouri River as a dead end street not intersecting with 1st Street and most likely ends at Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and Brookside Boulevard as a major main street. The...
on July 2005. The second service on Troost Avenue
Troost Avenue
Troost Avenue or Troost is a major north/south main street that runs in Kansas City, Missouri. It starts at 4th Street & Troost Avenue at Garrison Square and ends at Bannister Road & Troost Avenue. Troost Avenue was named after one of the founders of Kansas City, Dr...
opened on January 1, 2011. MAX was an instant success, with ridership on the first MAX line increasing more than 50%. While the Main MAX Line was not the first BRT line in the United States, its immediate success and affordable execution have garnered recognition across the country. The Federal Transit Administration
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
holds it up as a model BRT line.
Features
As the region's most significant new public transportation project in decades, MAX provides quick, convenient public transportation that helps reduce traffic congestion and auto emissions. MAX features distinct characteristics that incorporate state of the art technology to deliver customers a high level of reliability, speed and comfort. There are dedicated lanes that help give MAX vehicles a rapid, smooth ride, and special traffic signalization holds a green light longer to keep MAX on schedule. Limited stops mean that MAX can keep moving to key destinations.Stations
By design, a unique identity was created for MAX, including unique vehicles and easily identifiable stations, not stops. Each station features an 18-foot marker that is well lit at night, serving as a beacon from blocks away. The new modern shelters were designed to provide protection from the elements with a roof that is 80% opaque, providing needed shade in the summer, yet allowing 20% of the light through to break the chill in the winter. One of the most popular features of the stations is the real-time arrival signs. Customers know exactly when the MAX will arrive, taking the guesswork out of work.Fares
The fares for the Metro Area Express is $1.50, collected on board, with free transfer to the rest of the Metro system.Future BRT corridors
Future BRT corridors are planned for State Avenue in adjacent Kansas City, KansasKansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
; Metcalf Avenue through Johnson County, Kansas
Johnson County, Kansas
Johnson County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. The county is largely suburban, being part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and containing many of its affluent southwestern suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 544,179. Its county...
; North Oak Trafficway to Missouri Route 152; and for the US Highway 24 and 40 corridor towards Independence, Missouri
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
.
Facts
- Runs 7 days a week
- 4:00 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Buses arrive every 10 minutes at peak times
- 15-30 minutes most other times
- PlazaCountry Club PlazaThe Country Club Plaza is an upscale shopping district and residential neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It was the first shopping center in the world designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile...
to DowntownDowntown Kansas CityDowntown Kansas City is the central business district of Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It is located between the Missouri River in the north, to 31st Street in the south; and from the Kansas–Missouri state line east to Troost Avenue as defined by officials of the...
in 18 minutes - 3.75 miles of exclusive transit lanes
- 40 stations
- 13 MAX vehicles featuring unique branding
- Cost $21 million (80% federal, 20% local)