Comment box Scope: summary, information Tone: neutral Opinion: not really Sarcasm/humor: none Kansas City is getting new streetcars! Nice to see this system being expanded. It seems like the new...
Comment box
Scope: summary, information
Tone: neutral
Opinion: not really
Sarcasm/humor: none
Kansas City is getting new streetcars! Nice to see this system being expanded.
The addition of eight new streetcars will also help to support the expansion of the KC Streetcar system, as it grows beyond its original downtown route to include the Main Street and Riverfront Extensions. The new vehicles will help to improve service frequency, reliability and capacity as ridership grows. With both extensions, the streetcar system will connect more neighborhoods, businesses and cultural destinations, making efficient, sustainable public transit accessible to more Kansas City residents.
It seems like the new streetcars are being tested without passengers currently. Some of the cars they've recently ordered have already seen service, but the most recent batch will take at least a few months.
This project will extend the streetcar 3.5 miles south on Main Street, adding 16 stops and connecting the Downtown starter line to Midtown, Westport, the Art Museum District, the Plaza and UMKC. Construction officially kicked off in April 2022. The full extension is anticipated to be open in 2025.
The Main Street Extension will change the layout of the construction corridor. Once complete, 22 percent of the extension will be dedicated transit lanes.
22% is a lot better than 0%! Ideally, a perfect streetcar network would have a higher proportion of transit lanes. However, even just a few dedicated lanes at important sections makes a big difference. And as they redo the streetscapes, it seems like they are also making a lot of nice pedestrian improvements.
Comment box
Kansas City is getting new streetcars! Nice to see this system being expanded.
It seems like the new streetcars are being tested without passengers currently. Some of the cars they've recently ordered have already seen service, but the most recent batch will take at least a few months.
You can read more about KC's streetcar project here: Working to connect the River to the Roos.. Or here for the project where these cars will be used in the near term: Main Street Extension.
22% is a lot better than 0%! Ideally, a perfect streetcar network would have a higher proportion of transit lanes. However, even just a few dedicated lanes at important sections makes a big difference. And as they redo the streetscapes, it seems like they are also making a lot of nice pedestrian improvements.