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KC Streetcar
A streetcar leaves Union Station, northbound.
Overview
Owner	City of Kansas City
Locale	Kansas City, Missouri, US
Transit type	Streetcar
Number of lines	1
Line number	601
Number of stations	10 (8 under construction)
Daily ridership	5,020
Annual ridership	1,832,215
Website	kcstreetcar.org
Operation
Began operation	May 6, 2016
Operator(s)	Kansas City Streetcar Authority
Character	Street running
Number of vehicles	14 CAF Urbos 3s
Train length	3
Headway	10-15 minutes
Technical
System length	2.2 mi (3.5 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 750 V DC
Route diagram Legend Riverfront Drive Expansion opening 2026 to Berkley Riverfront Park E. Crichton "Kite" Singleton Yard River Market North – 3rd & Grand (NB) River Market North – 3rd & Grand (SB) River Market West – 4th & Delaware City Market – 5th & Walnut I-35 / I-70 / US 40 / US 24 North Loop – 7th & Main Library – 9th & Main Metro Center – 12th & Main Power & Light – 14th & Main I-670 Kauffman Center – 16th & Main Crossroads – 19th & Main Kansas City Terminal Railway Union Station – Pershing & Main - WWI Museum & Memorial - 27th & Main Expansion opening in 2025 Union Hill - 31st & Main Armour - Armour Blvd & Main Westport - 39th & Main Southmoreland - 43rd & Main Art Museums - 45th & Main Plaza - Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd & Main US 56 Brush Creek UMKC - 51st & Brookside Blvd This diagram: view talk edit

The KC Streetcar is a one-route streetcar system in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Construction began in May 2014, and service began on May 6, 2016. The KC Streetcar is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area's integrated public transit brand RideKC, and is operated by the Kansas City Streetcar Authority. It is free to ride, as it is funded by a transportation development district. As of June 2024, the KC Streetcar has had over 14 million rides since its opening in 2016. The initial line is 2.2 miles (3.5 km) long, and construction began in 2022 for extensions north to the riverfront and south to the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In the RideKC system, the KC Streetcar is internally designated as route 601.

Route

The downtown streetcar runs along a 2.2-mile-long (3.5 km) route between the River Market and Union Station, running through the central business district and the Crossroads, mostly along Main Street. It makes stops about every two blocks, and has 10 designated stops along the route. It connects directly with Amtrak, local and commuter RideKC bus services (including a direct route to Kansas City International Airport) and several RideKC bike-share kiosks.

Proponents tout the initial segment as one of the simplest and straightest modern streetcar routes in the United States. All platforms offer level boarding and real-time arrival information.

History

Development

After earlier efforts to create a metrowide or citywide rail transit system failed at the ballot box, voters in downtown Kansas City approved funding for a two-mile streetcar line in December 2012.

In December 2012, the city council awarded a contract to HDR, Inc. to complete a final design for the downtown streetcar line. HDR had previously performed preliminary engineering work. In October 2013, it was announced that Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) would build low-floor Urbos 3 streetcars for the line. Pre-construction work, utility-relocation work in preparation for the project, began in late 2013, and construction of the line began in May 2014. Construction was completed in late 2015, with the first streetcar arriving in November 2015 and testing was performed from December 2015 to May 2016.

The projected cost of the Downtown streetcar was $102 million. The majority of funds came from Special Obligation Bonds of the City of Kansas City, Missouri totaling $64 million. Construction bonds and operating costs were repaid by a special assessment and 1% sales tax collected inside a transportation development district (TDD) approved by voters in 2012. Both levies are assessed only within the taxing district, which encompasses downtown neighborhoods along the streetcar route. Additional funding included a utility contribution and two federal grants totaling $17.1 million. The project received another $20 million federal grant, through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, in August 2013. Passengers ride free of charge, as operating costs are covered by the TDD. Total construction costs were $250,000 under budget and operations costs started out under budget.

Opening

KC Streetcar operation began on May 6, 2016, at approximately 11am. The total opening Friday and Saturday ridership was over 27,000 rides, with the trains travelling 650 miles. The weekend celebration for the streetcar's opening included music, a free carnival, fireworks, and coordinated specials at businesses. Bus service and bike share service was free to correspond with the launch. City officials stated the line exceeded their expectations, with over 100,000 rides in the first two weeks, and one million rides after 5 months.

Ridership

The line was originally projected to have a daily average ridership of just 2,700. Average yearly ridership levels have been around double this figure. The streetcar is free to ride, and is funded by the local transportation development district. Ridership is calculated by the use of automatic, anonymous passenger counters at each streetcar door – with manual checks to ensure accuracy. Per mile, the streetcar has higher ridership than other major transit lines such as the Muni Metro in San Francisco, California or METRORail in Houston, Texas. In 2023, KC Streetcar had 2,281 average daily boardings per mile, compared to 1,924 for Muni Metro in San Francisco and 1,705 for METRORail in Houston.

Following initial high ridership, two additional streetcars were ordered from CAF to service demand. The line celebrated 5 million rides in September 2018. On July 5, 2019, the streetcar set a one day ridership record, with 15,559 rides.

The COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted ridership, which dropped by two-thirds to just 2,148 daily rides in 2020. In 2021, ridership levels recovered, but to levels lower than before the pandemic. The line celebrated 10 million rides in April 2022. During the 2023 NFL draft three-day weekend in April 2023, nearly 60,000 rides were taken and a one day ridership record was set on April 27, with 21,601 riders. In December 2023, KC Streetcar noted that demand had recovered to 95% of pre-pandemic levels on weekends, and 80% on weekdays.

Rolling stock

In October 2013, the mayor announced that the system will use 100% low-floor Urbos 3 streetcars made by the American subsidiary of Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) in Elmira Heights, New York. The streetcars are numbered following the order set up by the original Kansas City Public Service Company numbering system.

The first streetcar (801) arrived in Kansas City on November 2, 2015, with testing beginning on November 6. Following initial high ridership, two additional streetcars were ordered from CAF in June 2017 at a cost of $12 million. Car 805 arrived on May 13, 2019, and entered service on July 1, 2019. Car 806 arrived on August 26, 2019. As part of the expansion of the line south, 8 additional streetcars were ordered from CAF, which will more than double the size of the fleet. The first of the expanded fleet arrived in February 2024, and began testing soon after.

Expansion

Expansion planning began in 2014. Two studies covered one line north, crossing the Missouri River and eight lines heading east, west and south from downtown. A ballot proposition in August 2014 to add three new rail lines and an improved bus line failed 40%–60%. A grassroots effort to revisit expansion using the same legal structure as the starter line was funded by the private sector. An 3.48 miles (5.60 km) extension south to University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) along Main Street is currently under construction, with completion due by early 2025.

Extension to UMKC

In August 2017, voters approved the formation of a transportation development district (TDD) to help fund an extension south towards UMKC. In December 2020, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it had awarded $174 million for the extension, with the remaining $177 million of funding coming from the expanded TDD. Groundbreaking occurred on April 6, 2022. In July 2023, Mayor of Kansas City Quinton Lucas called for transit-only lanes on Main Street as part of the work. On August 17th, 2024, streetcars drove south of Pershing Road for the first time since 1957 during track testing for the new line. The new track was fully connected with the original track on October 22nd, 2024. As of June 2024, the extension to UMKC is scheduled to open in early 2025.

Riverfront Extension

In August 2017, the KC Port Authority announced plans to extend the line 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) north from the River Market toward the Missouri River, connecting to Berkley Riverfront Park and the Kansas City Current soccer stadium (CPKC Stadium). The extension would be funded by the KC Port Authority, as well as by federal TIGER funding. In December 2020, $14.2 million was awarded by the FTA towards the extension, with additional funding required from local sources. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place on March 1, 2024, with completion anticipated to be in 2026.

Future extensions

In September 2021, the KC Streetcar Authority began studying the potential for a northern extension of the line over the Missouri River to North Kansas City. In January 2023, officials noted this would cost around $222 million to build, and that a TDD would not cover all its construction cost.

In October 2021, the KC Streetcar Authority and Kansas City Area Transportation Authority began planning an east–west transit line towards University of Kansas Medical Center and Kansas City, Kansas. Initial public consultation indicated that a streetcar line was preferred over bus rapid transit, and that a route along 39th Street and Linwood Boulevard was preferred. In November 2023, a proposed streetcar route was announced, a 5.6 mi (9.0 km) line from University of Kansas Medical Center to Van Brunt Boulevard using 39th Street and Linwood Boulevard, with 16 proposed stops. Officials noted that the line would cost between $560 million and $650 million to build, and that a TDD would not cover the cost of construction. Other funding sources such as federal grants and local, regional or state taxes would be considered as alternatives. It was noted that a TDD along the route may cover the estimated $8 million operating cost of the line.

Operating authority

The streetcar is operated by the Kansas City Streetcar Authority, a not-for-profit corporation that is funded by local taxes. The authority was incorporated in August 2012 after voters approved creation of the Kansas City Downtown Transportation Development District, a special taxing district that funds construction and operation of a two-mile route through downtown Kansas City. Legal claims against the district and its taxation power were dismissed in August 2013. The streetcar began construction in May 2014, was completed in late 2015, and began carrying passengers in service on May 6, 2016.

The Streetcar Authority's 13 directors, a mix of public officials, business people, and transit advocates, were appointed by the City Council and Port Authority in late 2012 and met for the first time as an officially sanctioned body in early 2013. The authority's oversight of the streetcar's operation and maintenance is modeled on that of the Portland Streetcar. The city council has the power to appoint some of the authority's directors and retains ownership over the system.

Daily operations and maintenance of the system is handled by Herzog Transit Services, under joint contract to the Streetcar Authority and the City of Kansas City. The contract was signed in October 2015.

Economic development

Even prior to the opening of the line in 2016, new development was occurring along the route. Analysis by HDR, Inc. stated that the downtown area along the route received $1.8 billion of development between 2013 and 2018, with a quarter of the investment publicly credited to the creation of the streetcar.

The streetcar has also been praised by political leaders and venue operators for making Kansas City more attractive for events, such as the 2021 Big 12 men's basketball tournament and the 2023 NFL draft.

In 2021, local businesses stated the extension of the line south to UMKC has also spurred development in the area, with $413 million of private investment. In 2023, it was reported that investors and developers had purchased over 150 properties along the extension route. Some residents have been concerned that development along the route will lead to gentrification.

See also

• Light rail in the United States
• List of streetcar systems in the United States (historical)
• Streetcars in North America

Notes

1. ^ 2016 ridership figures start from May 6, 2016, when the line opened until December 31, 2016.

References

1. ^ "Kansas City is on the MOVE with the KC Streetcar". KC Streetcar. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
2. "The KC Streetcar – FAQs". Retrieved February 9, 2024.
3. ^ "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership and Performance June 2024" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. June 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
4. Horsley, Lynn (May 6, 2016). "After years of planning, setbacks, hard work, KC celebrates streetcar grand opening". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
5. Alonzo, Austin (January 7, 2014). "KC will send three city staff members to Spain for streetcar workshops". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
6. https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/press-release/55241147/kansas-city-streetcar-authority-kc-streetcar-kc-streetcar-receives-the-sixth-of-eight-new-streetcars-to-operate-in-kansas-city
7. ^ "FAQS [- How long is the downtown streetcar route?]". KC Streetcar. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
8. "Streetcars Are Up To Date In Kansas City". Forbes. June 2013. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2013. In December, Residents of Kansas City approved the construction of a two-mile, downtown streetcar line after a mail-in election.
9. ^ Horsley, Lynn (May 22, 2014). "KC Breaks Ground for Streetcars — and OKs Advance Spending on Expansion". Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
10. "FAQS – KC Streetcar | Cost – Pet Information – Speed – Streetcar Stops". Retrieved December 8, 2017.
11. ^ Hendricks, Mike (October 24, 2023). "Soaring costs delay Kansas City streetcar riverfront extension. When could it be done?". Kansas City Star. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
12. ^ Hand, Gunnar (January 15, 2013). "Streetcar Renaissance". The Architect's Newspaper. Archpaper.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
13. Rubin, Richard (July 4, 2018). "The Perfect Way to Explore Modern Kansas City? A Streetcar, Believe It or Not". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
14. ^ Grabar, Henry (August 2, 2016). "Did an American City Finally Build a Good Streetcar?". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
15. "How to Ride". KC Streetcar.
16. Alonzo, Austin (December 12, 2012). "Kansas City voters approve streetcar plan". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
17. Alonzo, Austin (December 21, 2012). "Kansas City streetcar's first stop: Construction plans". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
18. ^ Alonzo, Austin (October 4, 2013). "Spanish firm CAF will supply streetcars". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
19. ^ Horsley, Lynn (November 2, 2015). "First KC streetcar vehicle rolls into town". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
20. ^ Horsley, Lynn (November 6, 2015). "Kansas City streetcar passes first test on downtown tracks". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
21. Horsley, Lynn (July 2, 2015). "Kansas City streetcar costs are comparable to other cities". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
22. Alonzo, Austin (May 22, 2013). "Kansas City streetcar seeks $20 million TIGER grant". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
23. Alonzo, Austin (August 30, 2013). "Kansas City wins $20M federal TIGER grant for streetcar". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
24. Hernandez, Chris (May 7, 2016). "Did we mention @kcstreetcar came in $250K UNDER budget? Thanks @KCMO Public Works for excellent management!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
25. Johnson, Dale (March 31, 2016). ".@kcstreetcar operations is UNDER budget" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
26. KC Streetcar (May 8, 2016). "Opening wknd passenger numbers: more than 27,000 riders enjoyed the #kcstreetcar over 2 days" (Tweet). Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Twitter.
27. KC Streetcar (May 8, 2016). "#kcstreetcar opening weekend fun fact: the fleet traveled nearly 650 miles over two days" (Tweet). Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Twitter.
28. "City officials: Streetcar exceeds expectations". KSHB. May 20, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
29. "KC Streetcar celebrates its 1 millionth ride". KSHB. October 13, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
30. ^ "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership and Performance December 2018" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. December 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2021. Daily Avg ridership 2018: 5,794, Projected Daily Average Ridership was 2,700
31. ^ "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership and Performance December 2022" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. December 31, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
32. ^ "KC Streetcar | Ridership". KC Streetcar. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
33. "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
34. ^ Horsley, Lynn (April 13, 2017). "Kansas City streetcar director says new vehicles urgently needed". Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
35. "Streetcar celebrates 5 million rides". KSHB. September 18, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
36. ^ "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership & Performance December 2021" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. December 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
37. "KC Streetcar reducing hours in response to COVID-19". KSHB. March 19, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
38. "Board of Directors of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority May 19 2022 Meeting Minutes" (PDF). KC Streetcar. May 19, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
39. "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership and Performance January 2017" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. January 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
40. "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership and Performance December 2017" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. December 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
41. "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership and Performance December 2019" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. December 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
42. "Ride KC Streetcar Ridership and Performance December 2020" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. December 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
43. "FAQS – KC Streetcar | Cost – Pet Information – Speed – Streetcar Stops". Retrieved August 17, 2016.
44. "KC Streetcar 805". KC Streetcar. July 2019. Archived from the original on September 12, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
45. "KC Streetcar adds 5th vehicle to the Downtown fleet". Downtown Council of Kansas City. July 3, 2019. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
46. "806 Rolls Into Town". KC Streetcar. August 15, 2019. Archived from the original on September 12, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
47. Video of car 806 being unloaded on Twitter, by KC Streetcar on August 26, 2019.
48. "KC Streetcar fleet may soon double in size". KSHB. June 29, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
49. Mandelbaum, Donna (February 8, 2024). "KC Streetcar | #807 is Ready for Night Testing". Retrieved February 12, 2024.
50. Horsley, Lynn (August 5, 2014). "Kansas City streetcar plan stopped in its tracks". The Kansas City Star.
51. "Midtown/UMKC Streetcar Extension Resources – KCRTA". kcrta.org. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
52. ^ "$351M KC Streetcar Extension Officially Breaks Ground" (PDF). kcstreetcar.org. April 6, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
53. "Funds to support KC Streetcar expansion approved". KSHB. June 20, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
54. "Voters approve new taxing district for Kansas City streetcar expansion". kansascity. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
55. "KC Streetcar extension officially receives $174M in federal funding". KSHB. January 8, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
56. "KC Streetcar Extension: $174MM FFGA". Railway Age. December 10, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
57. "How to Ride". KC Streetcar.
58. Alonzo, Austin (December 21, 2012). "Kansas City streetcar's first stop: Construction plans". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
59. https://kcstreetcar.org/pershing-testing/
60. https://kcstreetcar.org/service/
61. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article288972275.html
62. "KC Streetcar Riverfront Extension moving forward". KSHB. March 23, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
63. "Stadium for Kansas City NWSL to be built along Berkley Riverfront". KSHB. October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
64. "Kansas City Streetcar looking to expand service — this time rolling to the north". Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
65. "KC Streetcar receives funding to expand north to riverfront park". KSHB. September 10, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
66. Mandelbaum, Donna (February 22, 2024). "KC Streetcar | Riverfront Extension Groundbreaking". Retrieved March 3, 2024.
67. "With two extensions underway, KC streetcar eyes crossing Missouri River into North KC". Kansas City Star. September 6, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
68. Collison, Kevin (January 6, 2023). "North Kansas City Streetcar Extension Sidetracked by Financial Concerns". Flatland KC. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
69. "KC Streetcar Eyes East-West Expansion". Railway Age. October 4, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
70. "KC Streetcar to study east, west route along 39th Street". KSHB. October 1, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
71. Collison, Kevin (February 10, 2023). "East-West Streetcar Could Cost $600M, Need New Funding Source". Flatland KC. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
72. Hernandez, Joseph (November 10, 2023). "An east-west streetcar? Kansas City transit officials unveil proposal for 16 new stops". Kansas City Star. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
73. "Station Location Virtual Public Meeting - East West Transit Study" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. November 9, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
74. ^ "East West Transit Study Executive Summary" (PDF). Ride KC Streetcar. May 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
75. Bender, Jonathan (August 3, 2012). "Kansas City Streetcar Authority is up and running". The Pitch. Kansas City Pitch LLC. Archived from the original on October 22, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
76. "Appeal from the Circuit Court of Jackson County The Honorable Peggy Stevens McGraw, Judge". The Missouri Court of Appeals Western District. August 7, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
77. Alonzo, Austin (January 2, 2013). "Streetcar Authority mulls options in first official meeting". Kansas City Business Journal. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
78. DVV Media UK (October 9, 2015). "Herzog Transit Services signs Kansas City Streetcar operating contract". Railway Gazette International. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
79. "More apartments spring up on KC Streetcar route". KSHB. May 2, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
80. "Kansas City Streetcar | HDR". www.hdrinc.com. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
81. "The impact KC Streetcar has on Big 12 and other sports events". KSHB. March 12, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
82. "Midtown revitalization takes shape with businesses opening, streetcar expansion". KSHB. January 11, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
83. Friestad, Thomas (October 21, 2021). "Streetcar sees $413M in private investment along southern extension route". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
84. Friestad, Thomas (April 7, 2023). "Investors make tracks to invest along streetcar". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
85. Nozicka, Luke (September 21, 2021). "In a rapidly changing Midtown, some fear Streetcar expansion will price out neighbors". Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
86. "Streetcar extension is reshaping Kansas City's real estate market — potentially pricing out residents". KCUR 89.3 - NPR in Kansas City. July 24, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.

External links

• Official website

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Buses portal • Kansas portal  • RideKC

• 750 V DC railway electrification
• Electric railways in Missouri
• Public transportation in Kansas City, Missouri
• Streetcars in Missouri
• Transit agencies in Missouri
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• 2016 establishments in Missouri