OVERLAND PARK, Kan — The City of Overland Park has launched a new free service this summer to get residents and visitors from City Hall to downtown Overland Park.
The free shuttle allows people to explore downtown OP without the stress of finding a parking spot during ongoing construction.
"People are having challenges with parking. People can't find us. How do we get more people to visit downtown when, you know, there's a big construction site in the middle of the area. So, we were just really trying to think creatively about how we could bring more people to that area," said Meg Ralph Communication Director for the city of Overland Park.
The shuttle service runs every Saturday through July 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. starting from City Hall.
“The the major goal of our business district, and one of the things that the city exists for, is to support our businesses," said Ralph.
The bus service will transit through downtown making frequent stops before making a final stop at the Farmers Market.
Businesses like Crafted Fair Trade have felt the pinch from the ongoing construction because of limited parking availability.
"We are all feeling a little bit of pain from the construction and the decrease in parking at the moment," said Karen Blum Director of Crafted Fair Trade.
Blum who has worked at the store for over two decades said although construction is a good sign of new growth, foot traffic hasn't been the same.
“It's crucial brick and mortar stores and supporting stores is crucial. It's crucial, you know, for sales and for the artisans that we represent, in particular for our store, but also for our local staff," said Blum.
The bus will be at each stop approximately every 15 minutes. Riders can hop on and off at any of the following stops:
- OP City Hall
- Santa Fe Drive at Clock Tower Plaza
- 79th and Marty
- Mid-block between 79th and 80th on Floyd
- 80th and Marty
The route will be slightly different this weekend due to closure for the OP Art Fair.
The last day for the shuttle will be on July 26.
KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.
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