Kansas City Streetcar

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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

skinzfan23 wrote: Wed May 20, 2026 10:07 am Looks great...can't wait to see Omaha's and hopefully we can get an expansion like that someday.
Yeah I would love to see it extend to Ak Sar Ben/UNO and possibly 72nd and Dodge. But definitely to Ak Sar Ben Village. With all of their free garages (and excess capacity) would be a great park and ride location.
buildomaha
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by buildomaha »

Greg S wrote: Wed May 20, 2026 10:12 am
skinzfan23 wrote: Wed May 20, 2026 10:07 am Looks great...can't wait to see Omaha's and hopefully we can get an expansion like that someday.
Yeah I would love to see it extend to Ak Sar Ben/UNO and possibly 72nd and Dodge. But definitely to Ak Sar Ben Village. With all of their free garages (and excess capacity) would be a great park and ride location.
Going to be a requirement for the rail to acquire exclusive ROW if the system ever expands this large of a distance. A boy can dream!
#gohawks
strangerthings
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by strangerthings »

Streetcar hit an all time high ridership this past Sunday of over 40,000 riders. Lots of expansion studies in talks underway or soon to start.

Active Studies
1. East West through midtown
2. East West to 18th Vine
3. NKC including a new rendering of a Missouri River LRT bridge.

Image

Future Studies
4. JoCo
5. South KC
6. Large event / KC Royals stadium capacity expansion and service study
almighty_tuna
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by almighty_tuna »

Definitely jealous of the success they're experiencing. This is what I'd love to see Omaha doing sooner than later.
strangerthings
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by strangerthings »

almighty_tuna wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 9:09 pm Definitely jealous of the success they're experiencing. This is what I'd love to see Omaha doing sooner than later.
KC was one of the few cities to build streetcar as transit and not just as a downtown circulator. Omaha is a bit of a mix but I think closer to KC than OKC or Milwaukee for sure.

Need Omaha to build up along the starter line quickly.
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Linkin5
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Linkin5 »

strangerthings wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 10:18 pm
almighty_tuna wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 9:09 pm Definitely jealous of the success they're experiencing. This is what I'd love to see Omaha doing sooner than later.
KC was one of the few cities to build streetcar as transit and not just as a downtown circulator. Omaha is a bit of a mix but I think closer to KC than OKC or Milwaukee for sure.

Need Omaha to build up along the starter line quickly.
KC has done an awesome job, has there been any talk about building an expanded light rail system?
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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

I saw there they are having two open houses this month to discuss an expansion of the street car over the Missouri River into North Kansas City.
strangerthings
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by strangerthings »

Linkin5 wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2026 6:44 am
strangerthings wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 10:18 pm
almighty_tuna wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 9:09 pm Definitely jealous of the success they're experiencing. This is what I'd love to see Omaha doing sooner than later.
KC was one of the few cities to build streetcar as transit and not just as a downtown circulator. Omaha is a bit of a mix but I think closer to KC than OKC or Milwaukee for sure.

Need Omaha to build up along the starter line quickly.
KC has done an awesome job, has there been any talk about building an expanded light rail system?
There are 3 active streetcar expansion studies and plans for 3 additional studies soon. Most of these are urban tramways but the Johnson County KS and South KC lines may very well be LRT like.
Louie
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Louie »

strangerthings wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2026 7:48 pm
Linkin5 wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2026 6:44 am
strangerthings wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 10:18 pm
almighty_tuna wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 9:09 pm Definitely jealous of the success they're experiencing. This is what I'd love to see Omaha doing sooner than later.
KC was one of the few cities to build streetcar as transit and not just as a downtown circulator. Omaha is a bit of a mix but I think closer to KC than OKC or Milwaukee for sure.

Need Omaha to build up along the starter line quickly.
KC has done an awesome job, has there been any talk about building an expanded light rail system?
There are 3 active streetcar expansion studies and plans for 3 additional studies soon. Most of these are urban tramways but the Johnson County KS and South KC lines may very well be LRT like.
Would they be on the same lines or require a transfer if there were more like an LRT?
strangerthings
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by strangerthings »

18th Vine would be its own East/west streetcar line with a transfer

39th and Linwood Wast/West would mostly be its own line with maybe 5 blocks running north over the Main Street mainline

North KC is all new right of way, likely extending the existing route north from RM over the river. Will either be built like a tram or LRT but will run the streetcars either way.


South KC is TBD but likely a southern extension from the current terminus that would operated in a dedicated ROW with greater stop distances but the same trains.

Johnson County KS is unknown.

Strategic capacity and service study is also unknown.
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thenewguy
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by thenewguy »

I like that KC is really getting after it. You will be able to get just about anywhere once you park at the hotel and not need a car. That is one of the things that was so appealing about NYC when we visited (besides a million other things) is that we didn't need a car. KC really has a lot goin for it these days.
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Louie
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Louie »

thenewguy wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2026 7:29 am I like that KC is really getting after it. You will be able to get just about anywhere once you park at the hotel and not need a car. That is one of the things that was so appealing about NYC when we visited (besides a million other things) is that we didn't need a car. KC really has a lot goin for it these days.
I’m currently in Chicago and echo this sentiment. It’s nice to just be somewhere and have full access to the city without not fret about parking, traffic, etc.
strangerthings
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by strangerthings »

strangerthings wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 7:13 pm Streetcar hit an all time high ridership this past Sunday of over 40,000 riders. Lots of expansion studies in talks underway or soon to start.

Active Studies
1. East West through midtown
2. East West to 18th Vine
3. NKC including a new rendering of a Missouri River LRT bridge.

[
Future Studies
4. JoCo
5. South KC
6. Large event / KC Royals stadium capacity expansion and service study
New record of ~48,000 set last saturday
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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

Just an awesome summer down in KC with the World Cup in town.
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Brad
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Brad »

KC Streetcar workers are unionizing after record-high passenger traffic during World Cup

https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections ... rd-traffic
www.kcur.org wrote:The streetcar has seen record ridership numbers in the past month. Operators and mechanics say the growth is positive but has caused stress on the system.
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NeGoofyfoot
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by NeGoofyfoot »

strangerthings wrote: Tue Jun 30, 2026 7:27 pm
strangerthings wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 7:13 pm Streetcar hit an all time high ridership this past Sunday of over 40,000 riders. Lots of expansion studies in talks underway or soon to start.

Active Studies
1. East West through midtown
2. East West to 18th Vine
3. NKC including a new rendering of a Missouri River LRT bridge.

[
Future Studies
4. JoCo
5. South KC
6. Large event / KC Royals stadium capacity expansion and service study
New record of ~48,000 set last saturday
KC Streetcar published the ridership last Friday (7/10). As of this month, the streetcar has set an all time record yearly ridership of 2,439,331 trips.
OmahaRedWing
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by OmahaRedWing »

NeGoofyfoot wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2026 2:31 pm
strangerthings wrote: Tue Jun 30, 2026 7:27 pm
strangerthings wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 7:13 pm Streetcar hit an all time high ridership this past Sunday of over 40,000 riders. Lots of expansion studies in talks underway or soon to start.

Active Studies
1. East West through midtown
2. East West to 18th Vine
3. NKC including a new rendering of a Missouri River LRT bridge.

[
Future Studies
4. JoCo
5. South KC
6. Large event / KC Royals stadium capacity expansion and service study
New record of ~48,000 set last saturday
KC Streetcar published the ridership last Friday (7/10). As of this month, the streetcar has set an all time record yearly ridership of 2,439,331 trips.
Obviously, the World Cup helped drive these numbers but in the coming years they will be broken. Just off the top of my head, you have the billion-dollar expansion at Children's Mercy, the new Royals stadium at Crown Center, the expansion down on the river with the KC Current, and the proposed performing arts center at the Plaza.
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BRoss
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by BRoss »

strangerthings wrote: Tue Jun 30, 2026 7:27 pm New record of ~48,000 set last saturday
Forgot to post about this, but happened to go to KC for a weekend trip on Juneteenth and ran into the World Cup crowd. The streetcar was absolutely packed.

We parked at the Plaza park & ride and rode down to the Union Station stop, which was right next to the World Cup fan festival at the mall next to WWI Museum. Happened to go just before it opened so the streetcar filled up at the Plaza stop and each stop they came on the speaker to tell the people there the streetcar was full and to wait for the next one.

Ended up leaving the same time everyone else was too and that was insane - they crammed people in. This time at each stop along the way, instead of saying it was full and to wait for the next one, they said that it was full, but go ahead and give it a try. I literally got smashed against one of the poles at one point.

On another note - I was actually surprised how fast they are. They really take off and get going. It sort of reminded me of taking the L in Chicago, just mixed in with traffic.
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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

When the new Royals stadium was announced with the governor for the Crown Center area, the mayor of KC announced they be ordering additional street cars to up the capacity of the line.
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Greg S
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Greg S »

Brad wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 8:10 am KC Streetcar workers are unionizing after record-high passenger traffic during World Cup

https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections ... rd-traffic
www.kcur.org wrote:The streetcar has seen record ridership numbers in the past month. Operators and mechanics say the growth is positive but has caused stress on the system.
The same company that manages KC's street car has been chose to manage Omaha's per Grow Omaha.
strangerthings
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by strangerthings »

New proposed Royals Stadium deal requires the Royals to study rail rapid transit to the stadium / union station.
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Garrett
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Garrett »

Isn't the existing stop at the Main/27th a 5 minute walk away? Sending a spur down Pershing feels silly, unless they're going for something like a full fledged 27th St line.
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strangerthings
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by strangerthings »

Garrett wrote: Tue Aug 18, 2026 12:28 pm Isn't the existing stop at the Main/27th a 5 minute walk away? Sending a spur down Pershing feels silly, unless they're going for something like a full fledged 27th St line.
There is a union station stop and a liberty memorial stop. I suspect the stadium rail study will focus on commuter rail to Union Station via the existing freight tracks or LRT or streetcar to the east side of the Urban Core via 31st or Linwood..
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Garrett
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Re: Kansas City Streetcar

Post by Garrett »

strangerthings wrote: Tue Aug 18, 2026 4:17 pm
Garrett wrote: Tue Aug 18, 2026 12:28 pm Isn't the existing stop at the Main/27th a 5 minute walk away? Sending a spur down Pershing feels silly, unless they're going for something like a full fledged 27th St line.
There is a union station stop and a liberty memorial stop. I suspect the stadium rail study will focus on commuter rail to Union Station via the existing freight tracks or LRT or streetcar to the east side of the Urban Core via 31st or Linwood..
Oh I had interpreted this study as looking at adding new streetcar tracks between the new stadium and union station, which I found confusing. Regional rail could be a massive step forward!
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