OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension

[DaveKCMO]

Can we buy the vehicles now and start running them on the current track when they’re delivered? Or do we have to expand the garage first still?

Don’t they take ages to deliver and test?

At this point, vehicles aren't in the project's critical path because KCMO will "sole source" the procurement (they'll be updated CAF Urbos).

[langosta]

Can we buy the vehicles now and start running them on the current track when they’re delivered? Or do we have to expand the garage first still?

Don’t they take ages to deliver and test?

At this point, vehicles aren't in the project's critical path because KCMO will "sole source" the procurement (they'll be updated CAF Urbos).

What sorts of upgrades?

[DaveKCMO]

Can we buy the vehicles now and start running them on the current track when they’re delivered? Or do we have to expand the garage first still?

Don’t they take ages to deliver and test?

At this point, vehicles aren't in the project's critical path because KCMO will "sole source" the procurement (they'll be updated CAF Urbos).

What sorts of upgrades?

Since our order with Cincinnati was the first US production of that vehicle sub-type, there are mostly updates with the design modifications and systems from US suppliers (not the CAF norm). You probably won't notice anything different even if you catch new and old side by side, other than wear and tear. 801 will be 10 years old by the time the new cars arrive!

[normalthings]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjufMjVCj2U

Tom Gerend presentation to KC Downtowners.

Points of Interest:
- We are expanding our fleet to 12 vehicles, maybe more.
- We believe we can move the schedule more quickly
- We are not done. We are working with RideKC to explore further opportunities.
- Discussions about additional phases have and will grow in interest and intensity as the souther extension progresses.

[DaveKCMO]

- We are not done. We are working with RideKC to explore further opportunities.

Stay tuned next week for details!

[flyingember]

- Discussions about additional phases have and will grow in interest and intensity as the souther extension progresses.

Translation: a bunch of property owners figured out the taxes are less than the economic value they gain from supporting it.

[smh]

Wanted to draw some attention to this twitter thread, particularly the photos of French-style tramways:

https://twitter.com/ChittiMarco/status/ ... 5555405831

I continue to think that we've been so focused (rightly so) on making streetcar happen, that we've nearly missed the opportunity with the Phase 2 extension to think about Main Street and what we would like it to be in the future. Which is to say that curb running streetcar rail remains a shortsighted idea in my opinion. It limits street configuration flexibility in the future, introduces more conflicts between stopped/turning/lane changing automobiles, and it unlikely to change the overall character of the street--i.e., it will simply be a vehicle running on a busy street with fast moving traffic that is largely unpleasant to walk along.

On the other hand, a dedicated center running system would preserve long-term configuration flexibility in the corridor allowing for wider sidewalks, calmer traffic, and a smoother more reliable streetcar trip. All of this would add up to a much more pleasant corridor for surrounding residents and visitor to spend time and money.

I suspect this ship has sailed, but I just keep having the nagging feeling that many of the items not considered or quickly dismissed in the technical report will be what ultimately trip up streetcar and reduce the needed/desired modeshift in the corridor. Thoughts?

[kboish]

This ship has sailed.

And yes, curb running streetcar in this segment is a generational blunder to be sure.

[smh]

This ship has sailed.

And yes, curb running streetcar in this segment is a generational blunder to be sure.

Just such a shame. The downtown alignment is nearly perfect in its execution and I wish we could have gone 2 for 2 on this system. But I'm open to being wrong!

[earthling]

Are you guys saying curbside vs. center lane through Midtown? Given KC's streetcar is free fare and does not have to deal with a fare system, running it curbside makes it feel seamlessly integrated/morphed into the sidewalk, which makes it function more like a quick hop on/off horizontal elevator to different districts. Running it center lanes wouldn't be as integrated, like a separate system (might make more sense if there's fare interaction). OTOH, the expansion starts to turn this into a commuter line almost, so hard to say if it will have same 'horizontal elevator' effect as downtown starter line.

[Critical_Mass]

I'm still not sold on the placement of stops after intersections (leading to cars backing up behind the trains and blocking the intersection), and agree central running streetcar through midtown would be so much better than curb running. Aren't they at least center running for the stretch of Main between Union Station and 27th street and another stretch over Brush Creek?

Btw, I am loving the temporary street calming along parts of Main from the utility work. I hope streetcar construction makes many drivers form new safer habits or alternate routes.

[flyingember]

I'm still not sold on the placement of stops after intersections (leading to cars backing up behind the trains and blocking the intersection)

This doesn't really happen downtown as much as you would think. 19th, 16th, 12th St stops are after the intersection. The overwhelming majority of drivers don't roll up right behind the train. The ones that do quickly figure out not to when someone trying to cross honks at them

Aren't they at least center running for the stretch of Main between Union Station and 27th street and another stretch over Brush Creek?

Nope, they have their own ROW south of Cleaver, NB is in the current outside NB lane, and a dedicated outside lane on both sides south of Pershing. There's links to current renderings on the streetcar website

[KCPowercat]

Idiot drivers suck up to the train and block the intersections constantly. They then try to squeeze even closer and screw up pedestrian paths. I've even had the streetcar maintenance truck do it a few times.

[smh]

Idiot drivers suck up to the train and block the intersections constantly. They then try to squeeze even closer and screw up pedestrian paths. I've even had the streetcar maintenance truck do it a few times.

Agreed.

[flyingember]

Idiot drivers suck up to the train and block the intersections constantly. They then try to squeeze even closer and screw up pedestrian paths. I've even had the streetcar maintenance truck do it a few times.

are you sure selection bias isn't inherent in your examples?

with a train every 15 minutes for 15 hours a day that's a train going by each stop 60 times a day, times all the stops, for 328,000 chances for it to happen in a year.

If you're out at peak when the most cars are on the road you would see a tiny minority of opportunities and the most times people block it. most people tend to ride transit at similar times as people are out in their car which would line up with commuting or weekend activities

when someone drives a road at peak and it's slow an they want it widened, we use selection bias as the reason that a road doesn't need to be widened for a problem one hour a day. its literally the same problem.

Your experiences represent your experiences and you're making assumptions that they represent the average

it's functionally impossible for this to be a problem and nothing has been done across multiple years.
It 100% happens, but not on the scale of being something worth doing anything about

[mean]

When you walk around every day (during times most people are walking and driving around) and you and some dozen others are blocked from crossing by some idiot sniffing the streetcar's ass literally every time you get off at 12th St. northbound, sure that doesn't make it a problem when there are no pedestrians and no cars, but it's still super irritating and worth at least posting "HEY DON'T BLOCK THE BOX YOU SHITHEAD" signs like adorn every intersection in some cities.

[Walker]

Spotted phase 2 on city skylines.



https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... 1561073831

[normalthings]

With full Democrat control at the Federal level, it does not seem unrealistic for some of their corona related transit plans to come to fruition. The fall heroes act included funding to help cover local share of 2019 & 2020 CIG projects. Could be of great help if updated to include FY21

$2.5 billion is for § 5309 Capital Investment Grants (CIG) to assist project sponsors with their non-federal financial commitments. Under specific conditions, the bill provides project sponsors that have received or will receive fiscal year (FY) 2019 or FY 2020 CIG allocations with additional funding. It distributes the funds proportionally to qualified project sponsors and will not be counted toward the maximum federal financial assistance. Any remaining funds will be rolled into the § 5324 Emergency Relief program.

[langosta]

With full Democrat control at the Federal level, it does not seem unrealistic for some of their corona related transit plans to come to fruition. The fall heroes act included funding to help cover local share of 2019 & 2020 CIG projects. Could be of great help if updated to include FY21

$2.5 billion is for § 5309 Capital Investment Grants (CIG) to assist project sponsors with their non-federal financial commitments. Under specific conditions, the bill provides project sponsors that have received or will receive fiscal year (FY) 2019 or FY 2020 CIG allocations with additional funding. It distributes the funds proportionally to qualified project sponsors and will not be counted toward the maximum federal financial assistance. Any remaining funds will be rolled into the § 5324 Emergency Relief program.

Would be fantastic if we could get federal stimulus funds for additional BRT and rail lines.

[Walker]

Will the 60% drawings be posted on the KC streetcar site?