Omaha Forums

We were down there Sunday-Tuesday. Stayed downtown and rode the streetcar. Loved it.

Greg

I'm in and out of Kansas City this week on business.

Last Saturday I planned to photograph the Streetcar, and even set out to do so, but it was SOOOO hot and muggy I knew I would not enjoy it, so I ended up doing some shopping and going to the casino. Then I found out that one of the areas where I was shopping was an area hit by armed robberies!

Monday and Tuesday were better but I could not break away.

It's supposed to cool down tomorrow so I will try again if I have the time.

There was some kind of an incident on the streetcar line yesterday, which shut it down for a while. They were also reporting on the news that an extension is under consideration.

Omababe wrote:They were also reporting on the news that an extension is under consideration.

Hopefully to the Plaza!

I rode it the other day. It was nice.

Brad wrote:

Omababe wrote:They were also reporting on the news that an extension is under consideration.

Hopefully to the Plaza!

Yes. The extension will go to Westport and the Plaza, and get to Brookside, UMKC and the Stowers Institute from my understanding.

Greg

From my understanding is that the expansion plans from two different groups will be presented later this year and the people of KC will vote on them if they are included on the ballots. I didn't think anything was set in stone yet.

Yeah there are two. The main one is the one we are discussing. The other is more city wide and put forth by a guy kind of one his own who is a one man crusade for KC light rail. Here's an article on it I found from June:


http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/ar ... 38462.html



Greg

Slate article on KC Streetcar:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/201 ... rship.html


Greg

Wow, that's really doing good. 7/16 was their busies day ever.

I am in KC, and saw the streetcar at Union Station. A new transit center is apparently under construction on the east side of the station.
I don't know how to post photos on here or I would do so. They are on my Facebook page, if any of you are "friends".

nativeomahan wrote:I am in KC, and saw the streetcar at Union Station. A new transit center is apparently under construction on the east side of the station.
I don't know how to post photos on here or I would do so. They are on my Facebook page, if any of you are "friends".

Thank you, Brad.

Plans approved to add 2 more street cars.

1 million passengers

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... rider.html

Rode the streetcar a few times this weekend. Stayed south of the interstate and went to the river market on it. Super convenient and was packed while I was on it. Seems to be pretty popular.

KC Streetcar business impact at 6 months:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/kc ... 06362.html

Kansas City Streetcar:

Another hotel going up on the street car line:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 09144.html

choke wrote:Kansas City Streetcar:

Lol this ad doesn't really give me a vibe that your would get riding a street car. You're not trying to get the fans hyped up for starting lineups of a college basketball game, it's a streetcar...

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 20432.html

Interesting read about the development on the line and the construction planning that goes into building new construction close to an active streetcar line.

There is an article today in Trains Magazine saying KC has approved the purchase of 2 more streetcars to run on the existing route. Good news is: "The purchase will use existing downtown transportation funds resulting from higher than expected sales tax growth."

Here is the link, but its subscriber only.
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... tcar-fleet

Brad wrote:Here is the link, but its subscriber only.
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... tcar-fleet

Here's a free link:
http://www.metro-report.com/news/light- ... by-50.html

Voters give approval for new tax district. This is first step in street car expansion:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/kc ... 94947.html

Omaha's streetcar group posted on FB about the KC Streetcar this past weekend. Apparently the estimate for KC was 2,700 daily riders. This past Saturday 3/3 KC had 12,551.

Brad wrote:Omaha's streetcar group posted on FB about the KC Streetcar this past weekend. Apparently the estimate for KC was 2,700 daily riders. This past Saturday 3/3 KC had 12,551.

Was this event related? Thats quite the spike!

Louie wrote:

Brad wrote:Omaha's streetcar group posted on FB about the KC Streetcar this past weekend. Apparently the estimate for KC was 2,700 daily riders. This past Saturday 3/3 KC had 12,551.

Was this event related? Thats quite the spike!

I'm not sure.

https://twitter.com/TomGerend/status/994406240506777600

New data is in and it is good news for downtown business. FY18 downtown @kcstreetcar TDD sales tax receipts up 12.4% over record FY17 levels. District receipts now up 85% from FY14. @KCMO #KCstreetcar

We are going down there again in a few weeks. We almost always try to stay downtown now. Can't wait until the street car expansion gets underway and expanded to the Plaza.

Greg

We are in KC for a few days. Staying at DT Marriott. Taking street car to Union Station to see new dinosaur exhibit.

Here’s a great article on KC and street car in NY Times:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/t ... r-not.html


Greg

That’s a great article, and a glowing tribute to Kansas City. It states that in its second year of operation, the streetcar had over 4,000,000 riders!

nativeomahan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:43 am That’s a great article, and a glowing tribute to Kansas City. It states that in its second year of operation, the streetcar had over 4,000,000 riders!

That's a promising stat!

iamjacobm wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2017 3:14 pm http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 20432.html

Interesting read about the development on the line and the construction planning that goes into building new construction close to an active streetcar line.

True. If you want to see development explode, put in a light rail. The taxes from the development will fill the cities' coffers. Most of you anti-rail folks don't see how this works. I don't think most cities put in a light rail just to move people around. It's all about gentrification and generating revenue. Failure to do so would guarantee that most of the development will take place on 248th and Something Street. Sprawl and its related costs will, I think, burden the city/county much more than the cost of a light rail system.

ricko wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 2:44 pm True. If you want to see development explode, put in a light rail. The taxes from the development will fill the cities' coffers. Most of you anti-rail folks don't see how this works. I don't think most cities put in a light rail just to move people around. It's all about gentrification and generating revenue. Failure to do so would guarantee that most of the development will take place on 248th and Something Street. Sprawl and its related costs will, I think, burden the city/county much more than the cost of a light rail system.

Couldn't have said it better. People are already living and working outside of city limits, and if it continues, Omaha will end up taking care of the miles of roads, sewers, electric, and other services in search of tax dollars. Services will deteriorate, people will complain, and the city will either raise taxes, or they'll deteriorate further. The only way to better the situation is to take up less area, and the only way you're gonna accomplish that to a satisfactory level is with light rail.

Busguy2010 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 3:31 pm

ricko wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 2:44 pm True. If you want to see development explode, put in a light rail. The taxes from the development will fill the cities' coffers. Most of you anti-rail folks don't see how this works. I don't think most cities put in a light rail just to move people around. It's all about gentrification and generating revenue. Failure to do so would guarantee that most of the development will take place on 248th and Something Street. Sprawl and its related costs will, I think, burden the city/county much more than the cost of a light rail system.

Couldn't have said it better. People are already living and working outside of city limits, and if it continues, Omaha will end up taking care of the miles of roads, sewers, electric, and other services in search of tax dollars. Services will deteriorate, people will complain, and the city will either raise taxes, or they'll deteriorate further. The only way to better the situation is to take up less area, and the only way you're gonna accomplish that to a satisfactory level is with light rail.

Growth on the outskirts just stretches the current utilities and maintenance of the city. Like a big piece of toast and not enough butter.

Busguy2010 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 3:31 pm

ricko wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 2:44 pm True. If you want to see development explode, put in a light rail. The taxes from the development will fill the cities' coffers. Most of you anti-rail folks don't see how this works. I don't think most cities put in a light rail just to move people around. It's all about gentrification and generating revenue. Failure to do so would guarantee that most of the development will take place on 248th and Something Street. Sprawl and its related costs will, I think, burden the city/county much more than the cost of a light rail system.

Couldn't have said it better. People are already living and working outside of city limits, and if it continues, Omaha will end up taking care of the miles of roads, sewers, electric, and other services in search of tax dollars. Services will deteriorate, people will complain, and the city will either raise taxes, or they'll deteriorate further. The only way to better the situation is to take up less area, and the only way you're gonna accomplish that to a satisfactory level is with light rail.

The new West O starts at 180th. It is what it is you can't stop it. Anyone with the money is going to move out there. Me too, I don't want to be left behind no way no how.

Neato. (I was thinking this post would have an old trolley, or something. Then, I finally click on it, and it is featuring their new slick, modern transportation.) As the saying goes: EVERYTHING'S UP TO DATE IN KANSAS CITY!

https://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/song ... scity.html

(I actually just learned that phrase today. Some lady I was talking to from California said it, and I was like: "Did you just say 'Kansas City?'' She then told me that was a phrase from a song, or movie. I also just listened to an album with a song titled "Kansas City." I think of that Jackson Five song "Goin' to Kansas City!" It doesn't surprise me that Kansas City is written about. I've always felt there was something special & soulful about Kansas City, and I notice, it is penned within lyrics more than other Midwest cities. Other artistic people pick up on that too... Chicago might be the giant, Minneapolis has that sparkle quality, St Louis might be the bigger River City with the famous Arch. But, Kansas City is written about the most in lyrics, and pulls those heart strings --- I think. It's like Memphis is. To me, cities like Des Moines & Minneapolis are so pinpoint-focused on art, great architecture/design, and serious business, because thats all they mostly have. (Analyzing it all, that's the reasoning I concluded why I've always felt Des Moines always looked up to Minneapolis more than Kansas City or St Louis. It relates to it more, with what it has, and what it lacks.) That aspect helps Minneapolis feel & look more serious & prestigious, imo. They dont quite have that "River City" thing going, like Kansas City, St Louis, and Omaha. (That culture is associated with jazz, riverboats, shipping & receiving cargo, beer, bar-b-que, some gambling, and good times -- not high society & class, money, and prestige.) Minneapolis has more the "lake culture", imo, but thats again associated more with money & prestige -- yachts, boats, marinas, lakeside mansions. KC, St Louis, and Omaha have plenty of their own art, great architecture/design, and business, too, but they also have that "River City" aspect & culture -- which helps KC land in songs more, like Memphis, in my view. Omaha also became a big band culture city. (All cities have their beloved sports, of course.) I think KC is a blend of an "Omaha" and a "St Louis" in many ways, but in some ways, it reminds me of a "Minneapolis" and "St Louis" mix, too, because the skyline keeps getting prettier & more sparkly, and it is an artsy, white collar city in many ways -- plus has plenty of old & the River City culture, like St Louis.

Ridership was up again in 2019. 5% increase over 2018

Andrew Corselli, Managing Editor, Railway Age wrote:In 2019, total KC Streetcar ridership was 2,228,942—a 5.5% yearly increase. Since opening day, KC Streetcar has had more than 7.8 million passenger trips, with an average daily ridership of 6,107.

Andrew Corselli, Managing Editor, Railway Age wrote: The results of the customer satisfaction survey showed that rider satisfaction levels were strong in multiple categories:

96% satisfaction on reliability of service.
98% satisfaction on ease of use.
95% satisfaction on personal safety while riding.
95% satisfaction on professionalism and friendliness of staff.
95% satisfaction on cleanliness of stations and vehicles.

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/li ... annel=news

Once they get the expansion done to the Plaza/Brookside it will be interesting to see how much the ridership grows. That will be awesome.


Greg