OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension

[bspecht]

Westport Rd back open, southbound track completed in the area.
https://twitter.com/BuildKCSC/status/17 ... 7272961049

[TheUrbanRoo]

Check this out:

https://cityscenekc.com/redesigned-main ... ndscaping/

[KCPowercat]

Not opposed to the "light touch" but it's largely ignored where it is now (bus only spots) and no enforcement to be found. If we are doing it, why not just do it throughout the entire route downtown where possible too?

[WoodDraw]

I know some involved have pushed for that. I wouldn't dismiss the pull of pissy businesses and any loss of on street parking.

[GRID]

Check this out:

https://cityscenekc.com/redesigned-main ... ndscaping/

Very good news.

[Midtownkid]

"medians and bump-outs also are planned for Main Street. The idea is to improve the appearance of the important artery that connects the major nodes of the River-Crown-Plaza urban core."

Yes I've noticed some of the new bump outs along Main, and I'm very happy to see them. This should be done everywhere along the original line and other places where we have 'street calming' AKA those stupid plastic bollards and striped pavement.

[DaveKCMO]

As with the starter line, we have a "continuous improvement" mantra. Worth noting that the downtown streetcar is faster, more frequent, and has higher ridership and customer satisfaction since it launched. We'll keep at it!

[WoodDraw]

I would sell my soul if they could fix the pulls up to a light and stops with no cross traffic problem just to cross again and stop traffic.

[DaveKCMO]

I would sell my soul if they could fix the pulls up to a light and stops with no cross traffic problem just to cross again and stop traffic.

That's being worked on! Unfortunately the city has a "set it and forget it" mentality but the struggle continues...

[WoodDraw]

I would sell my soul if they could fix the pulls up to a light and stops with no cross traffic problem just to cross again and stop traffic.

That's being worked on! Unfortunately the city has a "set it and forget it" mentality but the struggle continues...

I bitch about it to Matt everytime I see him and he's like we know, we know.

I know it's a struggle.

As someone that bitched about the reliability of it as transit early on, it's gotten remarkably better. Using the app, I can pretty much nail my time now. Sometimes they get stuck at union station a bit, but it's good enough I rely on it now.

[bspecht]

Streetcar #807 has made it to town https://twitter.com/TomGerend/status/17 ... 8679542820

[GRID]

What's the latest on making more of the Main Street extension in dedicated right of way? I thought the city passed some ordinance or something to improve that?

[bspecht]

What's the latest on making more of the Main Street extension in dedicated right of way? I thought the city passed some ordinance or something to improve that?

You can watch it here: https://kansascity.granicus.com/player/clip/13551

22% was already designed as transit only. They talk a good bit about signal prioritization & types of "interventions" that can be applied to emphasize the transit-only areas. $2-3M cost for upgraded designs.

2/3rds of video is just Councilpeople talking about their pet issues w/ the extension. Robinson doesn't like white, plastic bollards, aesthetically. ha

[KCPowercat]

What's the latest on making more of the Main Street extension in dedicated right of way? I thought the city passed some ordinance or something to improve that?

You can watch it here: https://kansascity.granicus.com/player/clip/13551

22% was already designed as transit only. They talk a good bit about signal prioritization & types of "interventions" that can be applied to emphasize the transit-only areas. $2-3M cost for upgraded designs.

2/3rds of video is just Councilpeople talking about their pet issues w/ the extension. Robinson doesn't like white, plastic bollards, aesthetically. ha

He's not wrong. They are dumb and we need a more substantial solution.

[dnweava]

What's the latest on making more of the Main Street extension in dedicated right of way? I thought the city passed some ordinance or something to improve that?

You can watch it here: https://kansascity.granicus.com/player/clip/13551

22% was already designed as transit only. They talk a good bit about signal prioritization & types of "interventions" that can be applied to emphasize the transit-only areas. $2-3M cost for upgraded designs.

2/3rds of video is just Councilpeople talking about their pet issues w/ the extension. Robinson doesn't like white, plastic bollards, aesthetically. ha

He's not wrong. They are dumb and we need a more substantial solution.

100%. Oak through the crossroads looks stupid AF right now with all the plastic bollards. Replace them with real curbs and fill in the dead spaces with vegetation or decorative bricks. It was a good/cheap proof of concept, but now that we know it works and doesn't back up traffic, build a permanent solution.

TONS of intersections in the urban core need real curb bump outs to shrink the crosswalk widths. Even with that "road diet" the crosswalk across Oak at 19th is almost 60ft, when it only needs to be 35ft if they brought the curbs out to current traffic lanes. Also, the plastic ballards do nothing to prevent people from parking on the bike lanes, I see it constantly. heck, even 2 cars parked on the bike lane in this sat photo.... Won't be cheap to do but the city has a $2 billion dollar budget, the money is there.

[smh]

Totally agree, but in the interim the posts are cheap and quickly installed. They offer no protection from cars, but they do delineate the space better than just a stripe.

[shinatoo]

Always assumed they were temporary, and we would start seeing curbs eventually. Probably not before Bobby Whitt Jr. retires though.

[bspecht]

What's the latest on making more of the Main Street extension in dedicated right of way? I thought the city passed some ordinance or something to improve that?

You can watch it here: https://kansascity.granicus.com/player/clip/13551

22% was already designed as transit only. They talk a good bit about signal prioritization & types of "interventions" that can be applied to emphasize the transit-only areas. $2-3M cost for upgraded designs.

Info here: https://kcstreetcar.org/about-streetcar ... nes-study/

Includes best map I've found showing how much of route will be marked transit only: https://kcstreetcar.org/wp-content/uplo ... _10_20.pdf

[TheBigChuckbowski]

Includes best map I've found showing how much of route will be marked transit only: https://kcstreetcar.org/wp-content/uplo ... _10_20.pdf

Am I looking at that right? The whole extension north of 45th is transit only?

[moderne]

But unprotected, which means it will be obeyed as good as the green bicycle lanes at intersections.