On October he U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) established a strategic partnership to enhance innovative delivery and finance infrastructure improvements in Kansas City, Missouri. The Emerging Projects Agreement (agreement) focuses on Kansas City’s more than $15 billion network of projects designed to improve mobility, connectivity, safety and equity throughout the region. The partnership will help spur work for an east-west Streetcar extension to connect underserved communities with healthcare, jobs, and the heart of Kansas City.
“This Department is always ready to partner with cities to help realize their unique visions for safer, cleaner, more modern transportation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “I’ve had the chance to see firsthand the great strides Kansas City is taking to modernize their infrastructure, and this agreement will help advance that work for years to come.”
“My administration is proud to have a strong partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation to help us improve the lives of Kansas Citians and I am thrilled about our collaboration to bring billions of dollars to our community to make improvements, including reconnecting communities once torn apart by highway construction, creating a rapid transit system from the airport to the urban core, and making critical repairs to our bridges, ultimately creating a safer, more interconnected Kansas City for generations,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. “I am proud our federal partnerships continue to allow us to make transformational, positive impacts in our community, and I thank the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Build America Bureau for helping us find long-term solutions to ensure Kansas Citians are able to travel to all areas of our community safely, efficiently, and equitably.”
Under the agreement, the Build America Bureau (Bureau) and Kansas City will explore opportunities for innovative project planning, procurement, financing, and delivery that could include using low-interest rate financing such as the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loans, Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF), Private Activity Bonds (PABs), and technical assistance grants.