The Kansas City Star
Google Fiber Work Hung Up In Kansas City
With much fanfare, Kansas City was selected in 2011 as the launching site for Google's experimental fast fiber-optic network. Now, a dispute about how and where to run fiber optic lines on poles in the city is causing significant delays.
The Kansas City Star
Architects Partner Up with Habitat for Humanity
Public Architecture, a San Francisco-based organization, and Habitat for Humanity have tapped a Kansas City Architecture firm to pilot green design concepts for the new houses. This project is just one of five nationwide.
The Kansas City Star
'Burbs Don't "Support the Vision" for Tech Company
Lured by state and potentially city incentives, one high-tech headquarters is ditching its current suburban location for a spot in downtown Kansas City. Is a resurgence afoot? Kevin Collison reports.
The Kansas City Star
Man Calls 72,000 Sq. Ft. Home a "Monument to Environmental Sustainability"
Steven Huff, who is chairman of a concrete company, is building a 13 bedroom, 14 bath home in Highlandville, Missouri out of his company's energy-efficient concrete. When built, it will be one of the largest homes in the U.S.
The Kansas City Star
Historic Kansas City Plaza Threatened by Development
A recipient of AICP National Planning Landmark Award, Country Club Plaza is part of Kansas City's historic shopping district. A developer is proposing to replace two historic buildings on the Plaza with contemporary designs.
The Kansas City Star
Suburban Tax on Traffic
To help pay for transportation needs, a Kansas City suburb approved a "driveway" tax based on the amount of traffic a property is expected to generate.
The Kansas City Star
Synchronized Driving
University of Missouri-Kansas City researchers are making headway on "self-synchronizing moving objects" -- that is, getting cars to communicate with each other on highways so they can travel at faster speeds without accidents.
The Kansas City Star
Car-Dependent Kansas City
Urban Land Institute president Patrick L. Phillips says his hometown of Kansas City needs to mend its car-centric infrastructure and encourage denser growth in the suburbs.
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Light Rail Plans Fail
A sales tax plan to fund light rail in Kansas City has failed.
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Pins Light Rail Plans on Sales Tax Hikes
In metropolitan Kansas City, two sales tax initiatives on the ballot in efforts to raise money for the region's long-planned light rail system.
The Kansas City Star
Bake Sale Revitalization
Elvira's Cakes is a home business that outgrew the kitchen and settled into Kansas City's ailing downtown. The city is looking to small business people like Elvira to breathe new life into Kansas City's struggling districts.
The Kansas City Star
Can Small Town America Survive the End of Cheap Gas?
With few local job opportunities, residents in small towns have grown accustomed to long commutes to cities. But with high gas prices making those commutes unaffordable, some economists wonder how much longer small towns can retain their populations.
The Kansas City Star
Federal Funding At Risk If KC Alters Plans
Streetcars and rail in place of bus rapid transit said to jeopardize federal funding.
The Kansas City Star
New 'Living Room' for Kansas City
Columnist E. Thomas McClanahan reviews a new public space in Kansas City, and finds a lot to like in the urban design.
The Kansas City Star
A New Proposal For Kansas City's Transit System
Mayor Mark Funkhouser's new proposal calls for a regional transit system spanning 119 miles, though it relies on much less light rail than some transit advocates had hoped for.
The Kansas City Star
Ambitious Plans Unlikely, But Noble
This editorial argues that Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser's plans for a regional light rail system are ambitious and not likely to succeed, but they are a powerful example of the froward-thinking mindset more cities need.
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Regional Light Rail Should Be Scaled Down
This editorial from The Kansas City Star argues that Mayor Mark Funkhouser's plan to create a regional light rail system may be too ambitious, and efforts should be focused on building a smaller system.
The Kansas City Star
Regional Light Rail Plans Emerge in Kansas City
Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser has introduces a plan for a regional light rail transit system. Now he just needs his neighbors get on board.
The Kansas City Star
Libertarians Prod Kansas City to Forget Light Rail
Libertarian groups Cato Institute and Show-Me Institute are scrambling to convince Kansas City to end talks to consider building a light rail system in the city.
The Kansas City Star
National Transporation Commission Calls For 40 Cent Gas Tax Increase
The long-awaited report by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission has finally been released and it's sure to create a stir as it calls for annual increases in the gas tax of 5 to 8 cents for 5 years, and then some.
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