Johnson County to form United Link service for FIFA World Cup transit needs
This summer, Johnson County United Link will offer public transit circulator routes that are designed to connect seven Johnson County, Kan., cities and the broader ConnectKC26 regional transit plan for the FIFA World Cup 26™.
Temporary circulator routes will begin operations in June and will run through mid-July in coordination with ConnectKC26. The service will offer three routes overlapping at Oak Park Mall and connect the Kansas cities of Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission, Olathe, Overland Park and Shawnee.
The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) authorized chair Mike Kelly to execute the agreements with those cities, allowing for collaboration on public transit services for the cup. This circulator services have also been designed to connect with a previously announced Johnson County airport shuttle service pilot that offers free transportation to and from Kansas City International Airport.
“The Johnson County United Link service positions us to maximize the economic and community benefits of FIFA World Cup 26 by connecting residents and visitors to the unique retail, dining and entertainment destinations in the county,” Kelly said. “We’re thrilled to showcase Johnson County on a global stage and to partner with our cities and KC2026 to make it easy, comfortable and convenient to experience Johnson County this summer.”
Funding details
To fund this project, the county leveraged state aid, existing federal grants and city partnerships to generate the expected $5.7 million cost to operate the new service.
In an agreement approved by the BOCC, the Johnson County government will contribute $920,000 through its transit fund, while about $2.9 million is expected to come from existing federal transit county grants. City partners will contribute a total of $400,000, divided among the cities proportionally based on relative size. The Kansas Department of Transportation will fund the remaining $1.5 million of the program using state transit funds.
Johnson County Transit will be the operator of the service and is set to partner with KC2026 to collect and distribute fares back to cities and the county on a prorated basis.
About the new service
The service is set to operate as Johnson County United Link. Johnson County United is the shared branding platform for coordinated World Cup-related efforts by Johnson County and its partner cities. The name was also chosen to highlight how this temporary transit option will link key locations together in the county.
Service is expected to operate for 35-42 days starting in early June. Exact routes, stops, hours of operation and other operating parameters of the Johnson County United Link service will be announced this spring. Routes are being designed in coordination with the partner cities to best meet demand.
“We’re looking forward to offering greater connectivity for everyone who wants to enjoy Johnson County this summer,” said Johnson County Interim Director of Transit Justus Welker. “In coordination with the already-announced airport shuttle plans, this new route will play a key role in helping everyone navigate Johnson County efficiently and reliably during the upcoming influx of visitors surrounding FIFA World Cup 26.”