This summer, residents and visitors will be able to take advantage of the Johnson County United Link, which will offer public transit circulator routes connecting seven Johnson County cities and the broader ConnectKC26 regional transit plan for the FIFA World Cup 26™.

Temporary circulator routes will operate starting in early June and run through mid-July in coordination with ConnectKC26. The service will offer three routes overlapping at Oak Park Mall and connect the cities of Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission, Olathe, Overland Park and Shawnee.

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners authorized Chairman Kelly to execute agreements with those cities today, allowing for continued collaboration on public transit service this summer. This circulator services also will connect with a previously announced Johnson County airport shuttle service pilot offering free service 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,” said BOCC Chairman Mike Kelly. “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

The funding model for the route leverages 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 today, Johnson County Government will contribute $920,000 through its transit fund, while about $2.9 million would come from existing federal transit county grants. City partners will contribute a total of $400,000, divided among the cities proportionally with their 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 operate the service and partner with KC2026 to collect and distribute fares back to cities and the county on a prorated basis.

About the New Service

The service will operate under the name “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 also highlights how this new 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, 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 Justus Welker, Johnson County’s Interim Director of Transit. “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™.”