Kansas City Streetcar

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Brad
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Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Brad »

Kansas City Streetcar

http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20New ... tract.aspx
Trains Magazine wrote:KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Council last week authorized a contract worth as much as $697,559 with HDR Engineering for design and conceptual engineering work on a proposed 2.2-mile downtown streetcar line. The line would travel primarily along Main Street and connect the River Market, Downtown Loop, and Crown Center areas.

Whether the line is actually built or not is up to voters. A special election will be held, possibly as soon as April, in which about 10,000 downtown area voters would cast ballots to create a transportation development district. The proposal to establish the district would include a 1 percent sales tax increase and property tax assessments to help pay for the $100 million proposal.
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

Great for KC!

These things are just so funny to me. Can you imagine if a new highway bridge were proposed, and in order for it to be constructed, the local voters would have to vote on whether or not to establish a special taxing district (imposed only on those who live directly adjacent to the highway bridge) to pay for it. And then, if that group of people doesn't approve it, well, sorry, no highway bridge for everyone to benefit from.
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Stargazer
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Post by Stargazer »

Funny... the cost of their 2.2 mile line is about that of the West Dodge Expressway.

Maybe we should have instead built a rail line of our own along the same stretch... complete with a big park and ride lot out at Menards... and another at Westroads, from which commuters could take buses the rest of the way. :)
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Linkin5
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Post by Linkin5 »

Streetcar line is going to be FREE to riders, pretty cool.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... -free.html
Tom Trabon, the authority’s chairman, said the group’s primary concern is building interest in the service, currently expected to begin running in 2015.

“We think a fare will drive away ridership,” Trabon said. “We want to encourage people to ride this thing.”
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nativeomahan
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Post by nativeomahan »

That is great.  It would be wonderful to be able to get from Crown Center to River Market without having to drive, and for frees the frosting on the cake.
Downtown Denver has free bus service along its 2 mile 16th Street Mall, from their Amtrak Station all the way to City Hall.  And they run every 2-3 minutes.  We used the bus about 6 times in three days.
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Post by iamjacobm »

KC is already beginning a study on a second phase of their streetcar line, I am pretty sure they haven't even broken ground on the first phase yet.
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Brad
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Brad »

The KC Streetcar Project is really coming along nicely. They have lots of rail in the ground already. Its amazing to see!

Here are 2 photos that I posted on the EO Facebook Page.

1. Looking north at the Power and Light District.
Image

2. Looking south from the Power and Light District.
Image
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Linkin5
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Linkin5 »

Depressing to think Omaha at one te was further along than KC in planning but nothing materialized.
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Brad
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

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Kansas City Streetcar set for 2016 opening

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... 16-opening" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
trains.com wrote:KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Construction on Kansas City’s downtown streetcar line is nearly 50 percent complete and should be finished by this fall. Then the vehicles will undergo months of testing before passengers can begin riding the line in early 2016, the Kansas City Star reports.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

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Linkin5 wrote:Depressing to think Omaha at one te was further along than KC in planning but nothing materialized.
Would be interesting to see what the city would look like today with a decade of TOD under our belt if we acted when the streetcar momentum was at it's early peak.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by S33 »

We would have either funding for, or some existence of, streetcar today, if Jim Suttle hadn't been elected in '09. That, I am almost sure of, recession or no recession.
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Linkin5
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Linkin5 »

iamjacobm wrote:
Linkin5 wrote:Depressing to think Omaha at one te was further along than KC in planning but nothing materialized.
Would be interesting to see what the city would look like today with a decade of TOD under our belt if we acted when the streetcar momentum was at it's early peak.
North Downtown would look nothing like it is does now, I can guarantee you that.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Seth »

A friend of mine who lives in the outer KC suburbs is pretty excited about this. If KC can keep up the momentum and extend this line into some other prime corridors (down to Country Club, for starters), it could really re-make the city. After riding the light rail on a recent trip to Denver (including stops in some of the outer areas), I really think a system like that would work well in KC.
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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

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S33 wrote:We would have either funding for, or some existence of, streetcar today, if Jim Suttle hadn't been elected in '09. That, I am almost sure of, recession or no recession.
I think that is true. I do wish we had them. The only issue and it would have been huge was paying for them. Hal's numbers were so far off on paying for Qwest/Century Link Center, it would have been interesting to see if the same happened with the street car. Especially when you see that the numbers used to fund TD Ameritrade were actually accurate and working.

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S33
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by S33 »

Greg S wrote:
S33 wrote:We would have either funding for, or some existence of, streetcar today, if Jim Suttle hadn't been elected in '09. That, I am almost sure of, recession or no recession.
I think that is true.  I do wish we had them.  The only issue and it would have been huge was paying for them.  Hal's numbers were so far off on paying for Qwest/Century Link Center, it would have been interesting to see if the same happened with the street car.  Especially when you see that the numbers used to fund TD Ameritrade were actually accurate and working.

Greg
True. But I do think he would have been a better lobbyist for federal funding than Suttle, who seemed to have accomplished very little in terms of any projects of significance.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. - Winston Churchill
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Brad
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Brad »

Union Station KC Retweeted
Tom Gerend ‏@TomGerend 36 minutes ago
#kcstreetcar heading north. @UnionStationKC @kcstreetcar #testing
Image
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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

Can't wait until they are up and running. We almost always stay downtown now in KC. Love that they are free to riders.

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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by skinzfan23 »

Wow, looks great!
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Linkin5 »

This should be Omaha.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by skinzfan23 »

Linkin5 wrote:This should be Omaha.
Yeah, especially with all the studies we have done on it.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Midwestern »

The system only cost $100 million to build? With 20% of that covered by a federal grant? That should be very doable for Omaha. Isn't that exactly how much the elevated expressway cost?

I like their idea of paying for part of it by having an area sales tax within the areas where the streetcar runs.

Good for Kansas City. At this point though, it would make sense for us to observe for a couple years how the KC Streetcar does, that way we could learn from their experience. It's interesting that they are doing free fares. Not sure if I like that...
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by skinzfan23 »

Midwestern wrote:The system only cost $100 million to build? With 20% of that covered by a federal grant? That should be very doable for Omaha. Isn't that exactly how much the elevated expressway cost?

I like their idea of paying for part of it by having an area sales tax within the areas where the streetcar runs.

Good for Kansas City. At this point though, it would make sense for us to observe for a couple years how the KC Streetcar does, that way we could learn from their experience. It's interesting that they are doing free fares. Not sure if I like that...
Yes, the Dodge expressway was $100 million. If only the city would invest in public transportation instead of more highways.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by jessep28 »

skinzfan23 wrote:
Midwestern wrote:The system only cost $100 million to build? With 20% of that covered by a federal grant? That should be very doable for Omaha. Isn't that exactly how much the elevated expressway cost?

I like their idea of paying for part of it by having an area sales tax within the areas where the streetcar runs.

Good for Kansas City. At this point though, it would make sense for us to observe for a couple years how the KC Streetcar does, that way we could learn from their experience. It's interesting that they are doing free fares. Not sure if I like that...
Yes, the Dodge expressway was $100 million. If only the city would invest in public transportation instead of more highways.
The West Dodge Expressway was a state project, not a city one. That section of Dodge is part of U.S. HIghway 6.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by daveoma »

jessep28 wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:
Midwestern wrote:The system only cost $100 million to build? With 20% of that covered by a federal grant? That should be very doable for Omaha. Isn't that exactly how much the elevated expressway cost?

I like their idea of paying for part of it by having an area sales tax within the areas where the streetcar runs.

Good for Kansas City. At this point though, it would make sense for us to observe for a couple years how the KC Streetcar does, that way we could learn from their experience. It's interesting that they are doing free fares. Not sure if I like that...
Yes, the Dodge expressway was $100 million. If only the city would invest in public transportation instead of more highways.
The West Dodge Expressway was a state project, not a city one. That section of Dodge is part of U.S. HIghway 6.
I think public transit projects should partially be funded by the state. In most states at least it's call the Department of Transportation (DOT). It seems to me NDOR should move beyond roads and embrace a 21st century mindset of multi-modal Transportation.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

The state is quite far behind on getting roads repaired, along with bridges.


Greg
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by jessep28 »

Omaha does receive some state aid for road repairs.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by skinzfan23 »

Here is another picture:
Image
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Brad
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Brad »

Sweet!
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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

jessep28 wrote:Omaha does receive some state aid for road repairs.
Yes they do, not near enough though to start throwing at street cars though. That would need help on the federal side. The state is scrambling for funding on road repairs and falling behind, not getting ahead or even staying even. During the last session they increased the state gas tax to help on the roads.

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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

skinzfan23 wrote:Here is another picture:
Image

Going down there Tuesday for work, will be on the lookout for this.

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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by skinzfan23 »

I also read that the KC and Cincinnati have the largest streetcars in the country based on dimensions and capacity.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

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skinzfan23 wrote:I also read that the KC and Cincinnati have the largest streetcars in the country based on dimensions and capacity.
KC's is crazy for a "Starter System". It goes all the way up and around that new area on the north end of downtown, right by the river.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by skinzfan23 »

Brad wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:I also read that the KC and Cincinnati have the largest streetcars in the country based on dimensions and capacity.
KC's is crazy for a "Starter System". It goes all the way up and around that new area on the north end of downtown, right by the river.
I was looking at a map of the 2 mile starter area, and is well suited for downtown. You can go all the way from Union Station, past P&L and near the Sprint Center and then over I-35 to the river. Can't wait to see it, maybe next summer if I go there on vacation.

I can only imagine if Omaha could develop one from TD Ameritrade Park all the way to the zoo. Or from TD down the Dodge St corridor to UNO or the crossroads, at the very least the Med Center.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Midwestern »

A streetcar along Dodge would be a million times preferable to one down 10th or 13th, in my opinion. Actually, I probably wouldn't even support one down 10th/13th street.

But a line that loops around CenturyLink and TDPark, then runs down Dodge or Farnam would be pretty comparable to how KC designed theirs.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Linkin5 »

Greg S wrote:The state is quite far behind on getting roads repaired, along with bridges.


Greg
The new gas tax should help a ton with this.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Busguy2010 »

I'm glad Omaha has waited. All the older ideas were just going to be stupid novelties for people who visited downtown on occasion. With the new route up Farnam, this will actually connect communities. Happy for the wait and eager for the arrival.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

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Busguy2010 wrote:I'm glad Omaha has waited. All the older ideas were just going to be stupid novelties for people who visited downtown on occasion. With the new route up Farnam, this will actually connect communities. Happy for the wait and eager for the arrival.
Exactly. How often would the people who live in Omaha really need to go straight from the zoo to TD Ameritrade Stadium? It needs to be a new time-saving mode of transportation that people can use as they go about living their daily lives. We can learn from what other cities have tried.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by PotatoeEatsFish »

My dream is a light rail with nice new central terminal to the east of the Durham. The first line would go from Bellevue to downtown Council Bluffs(Stations in between of course.). The second line could go from downtown to Aksarben Village with a station at UNMC. I know the first line already has a railroad so it wouldn't be too expensive. However I'm not sure how you could connect downtown to Aksarben.

Edit:I just found an existing connected rail line past Ralston and Millard so that would make a better line.
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by GRANDPASMUCKER »

GetUrban wrote:
Busguy2010 wrote:I'm glad Omaha has waited. All the older ideas were just going to be stupid novelties for people who visited downtown on occasion. With the new route up Farnam, this will actually connect communities. Happy for the wait and eager for the arrival.
Exactly. How often would the people who live in Omaha really need to go straight from the zoo to TD Ameritrade Stadium? It needs to be a new time-saving mode of transportation that people can use as they go about living their daily lives. We can learn from what other cities have tried.
I think KC made a mistake sticking their streetcar where they did. Anyone thats ever stayed at one of those big hotels in downtown KC and went out and walked around knows that downtown KC is a pretty rough place.
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