KCMO Downtown Streetcar

[bobbyhawks]

How do the proposed streetcars run in snowy or icy situations?  Are they heavy enough to crunch through the ice, do the tracks stay heated, or is a lot of maintenance required to keep them moving?

[kboish]

Sounds like alot of people should go to the open house at the Library tonight.  Or we should just get one of the developers to come on here and answer all our questions

[KCMax]

Streetcar plan tries to avoid light rail failures

Planners say they've learned from the past failures to get light rail going in Kansas City.

So now they're talking about only a two mile starter line.

The proposal would link the Union Station-Crown Center area to the downtown core and River Market area.

The idea is to use a "modern streetcar" which is a more permanent than a bus, but smaller and less expensive than light rail.

Some downtown commuters are willing to listen to the new idea.

[chrizow]

omfg.

pass light rail already.  fucking albuquerque has done it, for chrissakes and we're sitting here debating and "studying" a fucking streetcar like KC is eureka springs, arkansas. 

[KCPowercat]

We did pass it. Leaders decided it wasn't good.

You realize this isn't a trolley looking streetcar right?  What abq passed is also classified as a streetcar from their govt website.

[chrizow]

that KC does not have a shovel ready LRT plan is inexcusable.  that our city blocked the voter's passage of an LRT plan is even worse.  the more i think about this, then come in here and read about hemming and hawing about a stupid streetcar, the more infuriating it is. 

[KCPowercat]

Chriz....kinda off topic but have you watched the latest south park?  Kinda reminds me of your progression into an old man cynic.

Btw I agree with your post.  It's crazy.

[chrizow]

Chriz....kinda off topic but have you watched the latest south park?  Kinda reminds me of your progression into an old man cynic.

incredibly, i have only seen one episode of south park in my life. 

how am i an old man cynic though?  it is very easy to become frustrated with this city - though i still love it.

[brewcrew1000]

Best Episode in awhile.
Here is a clip of that episode, stan is growing up and thinks everything that was so cool as a youth is now turning to and is shit, Adam Sandler Movies, and tween music are some of the examples of what is now shit.

South Park - "You're Getting Old"

[KCPowercat]

Chriz....I agree with you on this topic. I just mean overall.....just having fun with you.  It's interesting seeing my and other posters change over the years. I remember you describing your dad as a cynical person....just seems you might be following in his footsteps.

[chrizow]

Chriz....I agree with you on this topic. I just mean overall.....just having fun with you.  It's interesting seeing my and other posters change over the years. I remember you describing your dad as a cynical person....just seems you might be following in his footsteps.

GIT OFF MY LAWN!

[mean]

Stops would be similar to the Max bus stops.

Oh. My. God.

Look, this thing runs in the street. With cars! It will not be faster than a BRT route unless it has signal priority. And it really needs offboard ticketing. Are both of those things in the plan? If not, why are we even bothering? A bus that looks like a train would be a lot cheaper and accomplish the same thing.

[chrizow]

can the city please fund a "study" analyzing whether it would be efficient for me to personally shuttle downtowners in my passat?  we could probably fund a separate study to ascertain whether it would be preferable to paint the vehicle like a streetcar, monorail, or gondola.

[smh]

Oh. My. God.

Look, this thing runs in the street. With cars! It will not be faster than a BRT route unless it has signal priority. And it really needs offboard ticketing. Are both of those things in the plan? If not, why are we even bothering? A bus that looks like a train would be a lot cheaper and accomplish the same thing.

A streetcar system really shines when it employs off-board fare collection and signal prioritization. Ideally, the streetcar, though it travels at a rate of speed no faster than the bus, should still be faster because it will actually employ fulltime signal prioritization and off-board fare collection(in my mind). We’ll see how it turns out.

[brewcrew1000]

can the city please fund a "study" analyzing whether it would be efficient for me to personally shuttle downtowners in my passat?  we could probably fund a separate study to ascertain whether it would be preferable to paint the vehicle like a streetcar, monorail, or gondola.

Or maybe a study using all the cities homeless and crackheads, strategically put them on busy street corners and have them rickshaw people around to the destination they need to go to.

[KCMax]

can the city please fund a "study" analyzing whether it would be efficient for me to personally shuttle downtowners in my passat?  we could probably fund a separate study to ascertain whether it would be preferable to paint the vehicle like a streetcar, monorail, or gondola.

Rendering of possible "Chrizow Transit System"

[mean]

can the city please fund a "study" analyzing whether it would be efficient for me to personally shuttle downtowners in my passat?  we could probably fund a separate study to ascertain whether it would be preferable to paint the vehicle like a streetcar, monorail, or gondola.

Given the average number of weekday downtown bus riders traveling on the proposed route, you could probably do it significantly more efficiently than a bus or streetcar.

[KCPowercat]

Completely missed the library meeting....any details from anybody?

[enough]

i attended but prefer to leave "the details" to others.  turnout was really good, reportedly about 120 (but that includes staff and consultants). 

councilmen johnson, glover, and sharp made remarks.  (marcason was there for the first session but i don't know if she said anything.) 

charlie hales of hdr made the main presentation.  he is from portland and was involved in their streetcar line, which opened ten years ago.  my impression of him is first-rate -- both technical competence and great people skills.

ok, that was more of "the details" than i intended.

[mudjack]

Rendering of possible "Chrizow Transit System"

That rendering looks like crap!


Oops, sorry.

Wrong thread.