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Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 6:09 pm
by daveoma
GRANDPASMUCKER wrote: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.
There's a lot of development happening however grandpa. Perhaps is not as rough add it used to be.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 9:30 pm
by Brad
daveoma wrote:There's a lot of development happening however grandpa. Perhaps is not as rough add it used to be.
It's changed a lot in the past few years and only getting better.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 10:27 pm
by PotatoeEatsFish
"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."
I laughed a little when I read this.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:28 am
by Greg S
GRANDPASMUCKER wrote: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.
We stay at the DT Marriott several times a year, and once at the Alladin. Not sure when you are talking about it being rough down there but it hasn't been since we've stayed there, and I'm going back 10 years. We have our kids and get out and walk all the time. Have also been there without them and stayed out quite late, no issues.
Greg
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 7:57 am
by iamjacobm
KC streetcar is now up and running.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 8:01 am
by MTO
XX please succeed, I have a feeling ours is somehow contingent on how well this does.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 9:23 am
by Omaha_corn_burner
MTO wrote:XX please succeed, I have a feeling ours is somehow contingent on how well this does.
What is your definition of success?
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:41 am
by Trips
How many wrecks are they going to have? I was down there yesterday and had no clue if I should be driving on the tracks or not. They might need a few more signs with directions.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:51 am
by MTO
Omaha_corn_burner wrote:MTO wrote:XX please succeed, I have a feeling ours is somehow contingent on how well this does.
What is your definition of success?
How it's regarded.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 4:20 pm
by Omaha_corn_burner
Trips wrote:How many wrecks are they going to have? I was down there yesterday and had no clue if I should be driving on the tracks or not. They might need a few more signs with directions.
Here are some old statistics from Phoenix,
http://www.cbs5az.com/story/18306315/li ... enix-tempe
I think their system is larger and there's more vehicle traffic.
In the first 3 years, there were over 100 crashes.
Also in the first 3 years, 22 drivers have bailed from the scene of a crash with light rail
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 4:53 pm
by MTO
|expletive| these things cause that many accidents and they're planning a contraflow lane downtown.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 7:29 pm
by iamjacobm
MTO wrote:|expletive| these things cause that many accidents and they're planning a contraflow lane downtown.
Quote from the article
But the problem is that too many drivers are making illegal turns in front of the light rail. Pedestrians test their luck, too.
Usually the streetcar isn't the one causing an accident. They are on a fixed system and aren't making any sudden moves. It is the people in cars doing things wrong are most often at fault.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 7:42 pm
by MTO
iamjacobm wrote:MTO wrote:|expletive| these things cause that many accidents and they're planning a contraflow lane downtown.
Quote from the article
But the problem is that too many drivers are making illegal turns in front of the light rail. Pedestrians test their luck, too.
Usually the streetcar isn't the one causing an accident. They are on a fixed system and aren't making any sudden moves. It is the people in cars doing things wrong are most often at fault.
Yeah I know I should have said that but I was being pragmatic jumping to the basic fact there are so many accidents with these.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 9:09 am
by Omaha_corn_burner
I was in KC over the weekend and was on Main street often, however I did not use the street car. There were people waiting at the stations, so it is definitely being used.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 1:17 pm
by Omaha_corn_burner
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 8:28 pm
by Louie
Omaha_corn_burner wrote:
Certainly not going to say it's bad since its exactly as I'm sure they figured, but there was quite the dropoff between opening day friday and the following friday. Wonder what the average usage will be without the opening day hubbub.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 10:29 am
by Trips
They had an increase everyday of the week so I would call that good.
Are they planning on keeping this a free service? I am just thinking of the winter when the homeless will have a free place to hangout and stay warm.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 3:40 pm
by Greg S
Trips wrote:They had an increase everyday of the week so I would call that good.
Are they planning on keeping this a free service? I am just thinking of the winter when the homeless will have a free place to hangout and stay warm.
Yes, the plan is for it to always be free.
Greg
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 1:19 pm
by Greg S
They might be announcing the next phase/expansion that will go to the Plaza/UMKC area:
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/ne ... 02182.html
Greg
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 1:36 pm
by Brad
That would be amazing! We never seem to just stay in one area on our visits to KC...
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 10:00 am
by Greg S
Agreed. We used to stay more near the Plaza and Westport. Lately we've been staying downtown and Crown Center but always go to Westport and the Plaza.
Greg
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 7:52 am
by Greg S
They had a minor issue with a street car near union station yesterday. It was off line for 5 hours. They brought in buses and they ran the line for free during the down time.
Greg
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 11:45 am
by PotatoeEatsFish
The street car will be really helpful while I'm in Kansas City for the Gwen Stefani concert.
We can walk from the hotel to a station and ride it to Union Station and the Sprint Center.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 12:12 pm
by Omaha_corn_burner
Ridership numbers are way above expectations
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:30 pm
by Louie
Omaha_corn_burner wrote:Ridership numbers are way above expectations
Good to see that kind of consistency.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 3:28 am
by daveoma
Looks like most of the ridership occurs on the weekend. Perhaps people going out and using the streetcar to carry themselves home? It's a great alternative to drunk driving and to Uber and Lyft.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 10:30 am
by PotatoeEatsFish
The set up for their streetcar is perfect. No wonder its doing well. I wish Omaha would make one with logical stops. Not like that loop downtown.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 4:25 pm
by iamjacobm
daveoma wrote:Looks like most of the ridership occurs on the weekend. Perhaps people going out and using the streetcar to carry themselves home? It's a great alternative to drunk driving and to Uber and Lyft.
I think the farmer's market helps too. Now you don't have to find a spot in the River Market area to attend.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 6:58 pm
by Busguy2010
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:The set up for their streetcar is perfect. No wonder its doing well. I wish Omaha would make one with logical stops. Not like that loop downtown.
That isn't being considered any longer. The new plan is 42nd and Farnam down to 10th at TD Ameritrade.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:18 am
by Brad
Even on the slow days there are still 3k-4k riders! In theory that could be 3k to 4k less cars on the road in their downtown, which I would think could make a big difference.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:21 am
by Garrett
Omaha_corn_burner wrote:Ridership numbers are way above expectations
I think it still could have some of that newness factor carrying it, but who knows. The numbers will probably matter more 1 year out than 1 month, though.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 2:23 pm
by Greg S
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 3:32 pm
by skinzfan23
Wow, watching the video of the streetcar in action, makes me really wish Omaha had one.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 8:48 pm
by daveoma
skinzfan23 wrote:
Wow, watching the video of the streetcar in action, makes me really wish Omaha had one.
Me too. I love that a place with sprawling suburbs was able to show that this could be a success. It's only a matter of time for light rail to arrive in Omaha.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 6:31 pm
by Dundeemaha
daveoma wrote:skinzfan23 wrote:
Wow, watching the video of the streetcar in action, makes me really wish Omaha had one.
Me too. I love that a place with sprawling suburbs was able to show that this could be a success. It's only a matter of time for light rail to arrive in Omaha.
It looked like from the articles that the KC light rail proposal is bunk from some guy in Virginia. But the streetcar expansion is very possible.
Unlikely that Omaha touches light rail but there is a fascination with streetcars.
The focus on connecting walkable areas with streetcars to spur development seems to be working really well in KC. I think Omaha's pedestrian areas are just too spread out.
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 9:35 pm
by Stargazer
Never get tired of watching this:
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 9:38 pm
by Stargazer
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:59 am
by daveoma
Good read, thanks for sharing!
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 9:48 am
by Omaha_corn_burner
Re: Kansas City Streetcar
Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:45 am
by Omababe
Looks like I'm gonna be in KC next weekend, and it looks like I'll have some free time, so I will definitely check this out.
