Kansas City is Ranked Fourth Least-Congested Metropolitan Area
KC’s combination of low population density, dispersion of employment, and well-maintained roads and freeways result in commuting times that are among the shortest in the U.S.
Commute:
- Kansas City has the 3rd best 30-minute employment access in the U.S.
(Source: University of Minnesota Accessibility Observatory; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2016) With highways heading to every corner of the city (and nonstop flights to most major cities) painlessly getting from Point A to Point B is one of KC’s top lifestyle perks - KC is rated as the fourth least-congested metropolitan areas overall in the U.S., and Kansas City drivers spend only 11% of their travel time in traffic congestion on average. (Source: Tom Tom Traffic Index 2017) World-class roadways are in abundance in Kansas City, resulting in very low congestion.
- Kansas City’s central location allows for short trips to other Midwest destinations. In two hours or less, residents can be in Columbia, Missouri; Lawrence, Kansas; or Manhattan, Kansas. In eight hours or less, residents can drive to Chicago, Denver, or Dallas
Transit:
Bus
Kansas City has two primary bus lines – The Metro and The Jo – that travel across the metro under the RideKC program. There are 89 local bus routes in seven counties of Kansas and Missouri.
MAX is RideKC’s bus rapid transit line serving highly populated residential and commercial corridors in Kansas City, Mo. MAX features frequent service, traffic signal priority, fewer stops for faster service, highly visible MAX stations, sleek designed vehicles, and unique branding.
StreetCar
Today, the KC Streetcar is recognized as the most successful by ridership (3 million riders in 18 months) and investment ($2.25 Billion in just over 24 months). This 2.1 mile streetcar route plans to expand over 9 miles, north-south, extending north to the Missouri River front and south to the Country Club Plaza, adjacent to the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Bike
Kansas City will build 1,000 miles of bike lanes over the next 20 years to improve cyclist and pedestrian choices that connect to a much larger regional trail network. The KC B-Cycle system has 46 stations with both leisure and serious biking enthusiasts appreciating the extensive trail system in and around Kansas City.
The Rock Island Railroad Corridor, will begin construction on 17 miles of new, shared use path opening in late 2019. The 17-mile Rock Island Corridor shared use path brings 500 miles of the Katy and Rock Island Trails, linking Kansas City and St. Louis, to within 6-8 miles of completion. View Regional Bikeway System Map. JoCo Trails has more than 35 miles—Turkey Creek Streamway, Shawnee Mission Park, Mill Creek Streamway, and Kansas Bike Trails. For more information visit JCPRD.
Private Ride Services
A host of ride services are available across the Kansas City region including Uber, Lyft, ZipCar cabs and limos.
