KCRag Forum

beautyfromashes wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:07 am I know 39th seems to be the consensus leaving KUMed but I still really like 43rd St and it seems a bit overlooked. Connecting at Broadway and moving north on Broadway gets you connection to St. Lukes and Westport while possibly spurring development on St Lukes massive parking lots. There's as much commercial development on that street as 39th St and is wider. Lastly, you could tie in a re-do of the SW Trafficway "knot" while you're at it.

herrfrank wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:32 am Why not do both?

The western terminus could be 39th and Rainbow or even 39th and State Line -- heading west to Rainbow, south to 43d, east along 43d to B'Way then north to Westport Road, east to Main where the tracks could be shared with the existing line. Then somewhere, say Linwood, continue eastward with this line to Prospect or even to the VA Hospital at Van Brunt.

herrfrank wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:32 am

beautyfromashes wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:07 am I know 39th seems to be the consensus leaving KUMed but I still really like 43rd St and it seems a bit overlooked. Connecting at Broadway and moving north on Broadway gets you connection to St. Lukes and Westport while possibly spurring development on St Lukes massive parking lots. There's as much commercial development on that street as 39th St and is wider. Lastly, you could tie in a re-do of the SW Trafficway "knot" while you're at it.

Why not do both?

The western terminus could be 39th and Rainbow or even 39th and State Line -- heading west to Rainbow, south to 43d, east along 43d to B'Way then north to Westport Road, east to Main where the tracks could be shared with the existing line. Then somewhere, say Linwood, continue eastward with this line to Prospect or even to the VA Hospital at Van Brunt.

normalthings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:36 pm Hitting everyone's front door is the #1 killer of other streetcar routes.

normalthings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 5:12 pm $450-600 million for Streetcar. 9-10 years till opening.

$30-60 million for BRT. 7 years to open. That BRT cost is soo low I doubt it resembles anything like true BRT.

Linwood and 31st are said to have similar ridership today but Linwood has dramatically more room for regeneration and thus more potential future ridership. I would like us to look at the Omaha model of extending existing TIF’s and directing those funds to rail transit cap-ex.

normalthings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 5:12 pm I would like us to look at the Omaha model of extending existing TIF’s and directing those funds to rail transit cap-ex.

beautyfromashes wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 5:22 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 5:12 pm I would like us to look at the Omaha model of extending existing TIF’s and directing those funds to rail transit cap-ex.

You mean add years to the existing streetcar property tax to fund E-W? What TIFs specifically?

normalthings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:16 pm I think they’ve been clear at the presentation and since kick off that rail would need more than a TDD

FlippantCitizen wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:59 pm RE normalthings vs. Chris disagreement. I'm with you normalthings, on the idea that there might be more objective potential of Linwood as a ROW especially for higher capacity/speed line. If that's even on the table I'd say Linwood has the merit of allowing it. But if it's basically another curb running local tram, maybe 31st makes more sense. Direct connection at 31st and Main, bring PVP into the fold, existing built environment that could be rehabbed quickly, existing pedestrian oriented business environment much more so than Linwood which is a car sewer and a terrible street to be a ped on and has virtually no street/ped oriented businesses.

31st would immediately have a raison d'etre in terms of riding the line in an experiential manner with a number of existing street facing business and existing buildings that could be quickly rehabbed to support more of it. Linwood has no real trip generators to drive steady ridership/activity at a variety of hours other than residents already living there. Those residents certainly will still be making use of the line if it goes on 31st. These routes are so firmly in each other's catchment that sites on both streets will benefit whichever street gets the route. 31st has the potential to be a great urban environment while Linwood looks a lot more like a high speed corridor though and I'm not sure Linwood could be easily remade as a great pedestrian street like 31st street in many respects has the better bones of.

I'll prefer 31st if we are getting something similar to what's already on Main. But if they come out and say, "hey is going to be center running, higher operating speed, and maybe even the trains and platforms are longer for higher capacity. We need Linwood to make all those things happen." then yeah I'd get in line and support Linwood real quick. I just don't think that's the case now though. Honestly, as a resident near this proposed line, I imagine there are more likely trips that I'd be taking via streetcar that terminate on 31st rather than Linwood.

normalthings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:03 pm
Per the presention, Linwood and 31st routes have similar/same ridership today but Linwood maintains a great ability for more development tomorrow. If someone wants to visit PVP (rider dead zone), you can walk from the Main Street Line!

This line also would be the line in 20 or 30 years to get extended to Raytown or Lee's Summit. I really want a future growth and extendability mindset.

normalthings wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:03 pm This line also would be the line in 20 or 30 years to get extended to Raytown or Lee's Summit. I really want a future growth and extendability mindset.