The uncertainty of federal funding under the second Trump administration cast a shadow over transportation planning for the 2026 World Cup Thursday, as county commissioners reviewed a grant source for a temporary bus route from Kansas City International Airport.
Commissioners unanimously voted to accept $2 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Improvement Program, after reassurances that the grant is unlikely to be pulled away at the last minute.
But some unease persisted. In the earliest days of Trump’s second term, a freeze on federal grants was implemented, which is still evolving today as courts consider it.
“I appreciate the desire for optimism, but with the current workings of DOGE (the Department of Governmental Efficiency, headed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk) and how they are interacting with other federal agencies, regardless of what the history has been in those programs, I just want to make sure that as we proceed with this, we aren’t on some kind of commitment that we are not going to be reimbursed for,” said Commissioner Michael Ashcraft.
How a World Cup shuttle might work
The grant would be used for a pilot project for bus service connecting the Overland Park Convention Center and Lenexa City Center to KCI using Interstates 35 and 435.
The one-time funding would put buses on the route 18 hours a day, seven days a week and would potentially start in the spring of 2026.
The World Cup is an international soccer tournament that runs for several weeks every four years, the biggest sports spectacle on the planet. Kansas City will host several matches, and the metro region will also be the home base for some nations’ teams.
The tournament is expected to draw a huge influx of tourists during several weeks that the summer, not only to the matches themselves — played at Arrowhead Stadium — but also to related events.
Commissioners have been concerned about moving tourists from the airport to hub and fan fest areas in Johnson County. But having the temporary World Cup shuttle service might also be a way to test demand and feasibility for mass transit to and from the airport that the county currently lacks, they said.
“It would be irresponsible of us not to think about a transportation plan,” said Commissioner Shirley Allenbrand. “You’re talking about millions of people who are going to be here within a two-month stay.”
“Skating on thin ice”?
The highway administration’s Congestion Mitigation Air Quality grant, administered by the Mid-America Regional Council, has been around for decades and has for years been a tool for long-range project development, said Josh Powers, Johnson County’s transit director.
County Chair Mike Kelly added that this has been true through both Democratic and Republican administrations, including the first Trump administration.
Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick said uncertainty over federal funds was a big topic during a recent meeting of the National Association of Regional Councils she recently attended.
“But the overall message is if you have received a grant right now, it’s more than likely going to be funded,” she said.
Questions about the availability of federal funds also cropped up during some public comments about the grant.
Former county commissioner Charlotte O’Hara said the county would be “skating on thin ice” because of the risk of funding being pulled.
“With Chairman Kelly doubling down on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) in his proclamation, it is making the situation even more urgent that you take a look and see how many millions of dollars you have at risk,” she said.
Kelly, earlier in Thursday’s meeting, proclaimed February Black History Month, encouraging residents to “recognize the rich cultural heritage, the challenges and the triumphs of our Black community members today and throughout our county’s history.”
O’Hara was a frequent critic of DEI efforts while on the commission, and DEI initiatives have been effectively banned in federal agencies under the Trump administration.
The grant would require a local match
Powers assured commissioners that accepting the grant still leaves flexibility in the future use of it.
The grant requires a $600,000 local match, and Powers said there may be some community partners willing to take on some of the cost. He added that Johnson County Transit is expected to absorb $200,000 of the match.
Ashcraft also asked if MARC already had the “money in the bank,” or if it was waiting for federal approval.
Powers said the money has been appropriated, but the funds are not yet in a bank account.
The commission did not discuss fares for the service, but they may be the subject of a future policy discussion, Kelly said.
Keep reading: Federal funding freeze on hold for now, but what could it mean for JoCo?
