Transit project will have visible effects

The problem

A few months ago, Marilyn Hoffman of Overland Park noticed some construction at the Rosana Square Shopping Center at 119th Street and Metcalf Avenue. She thought it might be a new bus stop. Since then, she hasn’t noticed any progress in the construction and would like to know what will happen next.

A bus stop “sure is needed in this part of town,” Hoffman said.

The answer

You’re right, Marilyn. It is a bus stop.

The shelter construction at Rosana Square is part of a larger Johnson County Transit initiative that has received federal funding, according to Johnson County transportation director Alice Amrein.

When it’s finished, the bus stop will serve Routes 664 (Metcalf/Downtown) and 556-856 (Metcalf/Plaza.) The project includes, among other things, 12 transit stations, three park-and-ride facilities and improved pedestrian access in several areas.

Amrein said she expects the Rosana Square bus shelter to be in place in the next month and the whole project will be finished in May.

The Watchdog hopes that transit ridership gets a boost when stations and park-and-ride stops are more visible. It pays to advertise, right?