Transit Tangents explores Kansas City's public transportation system in a day-long adventure testing buses, bikes, and the streetcar across both Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas. We discover a surprising transit network with remarkable architectural treasures and vibrant neighborhoods connected by a completely fare-free system.

• Kansas City operates the largest fare-free transit system in the United States, generating fair ridership but facing funding challenges
• Historic Union Station serves as a magnificent transit hub that narrowly escaped demolition in the city's past
• The Kansas City Streetcar shows consistently strong ridership even before its northern and southern extensions are completed
• MAX bus routes provide relatively reliable service at 20-minute frequencies, while other routes run much less frequently
• The city once had an extensive streetcar network until 1956, with the Country Club line now converted to a linear park
• Multiple areas along transit routes showcase impressive development, from the Spanish-inspired Plaza to the Brookside neighborhood
• Electric bikeshare provides a convenient alternative for short trips between transit routes
• Weather conditions dramatically impact the transit experience, particularly at bus stops with limited shelter
• Highway removal proposals for the North Loop present opportunities to reconnect downtown neighborhoods
• Transit infrastructure crosses state lines with KCATA serving both the Missouri and Kansas sides of the metropolitan area

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