Congressman Cleaver Announces 1.2 Million Dollar Boost To Kansas City’s Transportation Infrastructure

Yesterday, the Department of Transportation awarded 1.2 million dollars to the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) to fund KC Workforce Connex, a critical community engagement effort and study to improve job-housing connectivity via public transit.

"Red or blue, urban or rural - we all rely on transportation infrastructure," stated Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II. Ensuring economic prosperity is of paramount importance. It's not a Republican or Democratic goal, but one we all share, and one where we must succeed. This effort is part of our journey in Missouri's Fifth District to build a better, balanced, stronger, and more sustainable transportation system."

According to MARC, the recipient of the grant, at its core KC Workforce Connex is centered on improving job access and access to opportunity for all area residents. The initiative, led by the region's Transit Coordinating Council, will lay the foundation necessary to fully understand our current job access challenges, bring together regional partnerships necessary develop common‐sense solutions, and set the table for action with the goal of doubling the number of regional jobs accessible by transit in the next 10 years. At conclusion the initiative will have:

1. Developed a plan for extending the region's corridor and transit service framework to connect and link underserved and emerging job markets.

2. Developed specific east‐west, bi‐state, transit service strategies that will better connect our region and help bridge current service, jurisdictional boundaries, and job access gaps.

3. Developed a holistic job‐access strategy that goes beyond public transit to include a range of transportation alternatives.

4. Outlined supportive land use and housing policies and local actions necessary to improve jobs/housing balance and better position future growth to be serviceable by public transportation.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and also serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus.