We know that the lack of public transportation in Johnson County is a core issue affecting Third Places. But where do we build it, and how do we pay for it?
A parks and recreation employee gave us insight into how Johnson County has built and maintained such a successful parks and trail system:
“In terms of streamway trails, which are a signature part of the park system, there was a ballot initiative in the 1980s that actually set up the funding mechanism for them. That mechanism points to a map of priority watersheds in Johnson County, which is the guide for where we're interested in developing those. And we've done a lot of work since the 80s. We've got over 40 miles of Streamway Trail and 1000 acres of Streamway Park that are funded or partially funded through this mechanism.”
-Johnson County Parks and Recreation Employee
This small mill levy proposed in the 1980s has been renewed every year, and continues to provide substantial benefits to the county. This got us thinking - what if we used this as a model to develop a funding mechanism for public transportation?
What if?
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We bolstered Johnson County's Public transportation system by using this Parks and Recreation funding mechanism as a model.
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Created a committee to identify third places in the county that embody the core elements of third places: Accessibility, Equity, Focus on social connection, and Invitations to linger.
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Select committee members based on involvement in core third places areas: Parks and Recreation, Libraries, Social Service Agencies, Café owners, Religious Leaders, and other stakeholders.
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Mapped out the third places identified by the committee and use the connections between these third places map to inform the development of transportation infrastructure and bus routes.
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Planned for 50 years into the future to accommodate continued county growth and prioritize long-term impact.
