KCRag Forum

Spoke to Donna at the tent the streetcar had setup at the groundbreaking. She said this was the most updated graphics they had, and reflects the station stop location in its final spot. They will no longer be reworking the 3rd & Grand stop (funding) and will only have a center(?) stop for NB going to the riverfront. She also mentioned that the renderings of the stadium with a single track wrapping around the back side of the stadium were done by the team and not in any way reflective of SC plans. Construction starts next year, with a conjoined opening in ‘25



Asked some questions about the NKC expansion as well, and Swift is the preferred alternative. East on HOA bridge is the lane, with ped/bike on west side. She mentioned she wasn’t entirely certain on if the couplet would go E from RM along 5th St or not, as they’re still ironing out that part.

Interesting. Thanks for the info!

Cratedigger wrote: ↑Thu Oct 06, 2022 8:57 pm Interesting. Thanks for the info!

Sure thing!

Might as well not extend it to NKC then

You can pop right onto north oak at the end of swift without much effort if that ever becomes a desire

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:08 am Might as well not extend it to NKC then

Wait why not?

TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:45 am

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:08 am Might as well not extend it to NKC then

Wait why not?

{not my opinion) Because it's now worthless and can't be extended north and make a $100B regional system.

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 9:46 am

TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:45 am

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:08 am Might as well not extend it to NKC then

Wait why not?

{not my opinion) Because it's now worthless and can't be extended north and make a $100B regional system.

Streetcar is the only acceptable mode of rail transit and should span all of the metro /s

Swift is going to be too slow and share a lane with traffic. It's not conductive to a larger extension north.

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:17 am

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 9:46 am

TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:45 am

Wait why not?

{not my opinion) Because it's now worthless and can't be extended north and make a $100B regional system.

Streetcar is the only acceptable mode of rail transit and should span all of the metro /s

KC is not dense enough for a larger light rail. Hot take, but there it is.

Out of main core, we can barely make streetcar work. Regional funding helps, if that ever passes. If we can't build sidewalks and bike infrastructure to connect to transit stops (bus and streetcar), people aren't encouraged to use a transit system.

Tom Gerend describes the streetcar as a 70 year investment. I like to think that sometime between now and 2100 we might want rail north of NKC

alejandro46 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:41 am

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:17 am

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 9:46 am

{not my opinion) Because it's now worthless and can't be extended north and make a $100B regional system.

Streetcar is the only acceptable mode of rail transit and should span all of the metro /s

KC is not dense enough for a larger light rail. Hot take, but there it is.

Out of main core, we can barely make streetcar work. Regional funding helps, if that ever passes. If we can't build sidewalks and bike infrastructure to connect to transit stops (bus and streetcar), people aren't encouraged to use a transit system.

Induced demand, on top of the fact that there are viable corridors for rail across the metro. Will it go everywhere? Not a chance, but you could absolutely build a system

I voiced preference for Burlington for those future expansion considerations, but saying it's not even worth it to do that extension if it's on Swift? If NKC wants to splash some casino money around and densify... who am I to argue? Think about how much changed in the 70 years between 1950-2020 in KC. Having this be another local route will not be determinant. KC probably is not ready for regional LRT not because of population or economy but because of our poor land use. Using transit (streetcar/LRT) as a tool of shaping land use within urban KC and a limited number of other municipalities is probably a good tool. But in the entire metro... I'm probably too realistic to be overly disappointed by this.

Further updated graphics for the riverfront extension, including a better view of the one from last night. Timeline helps to answer some questions I had as well. Pics below.

Has anybody been on Swift and even seen another car?

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:25 pm Has anybody been on Swift and even seen another car?

My wife commented on that last time we were there (when I was explaining that this would likely be the next expansion route) and said it seemed like swift would be better for normal folks, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t care in the slightest about transit or infrastructure

FlippantCitizen wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:09 pm I voiced preference for Burlington for those future expansion considerations, but saying it's not even worth it to do that extension if it's on Swift? If NKC wants to splash some casino money around and densify... who am I to argue? Think about how much changed in the 70 years between 1950-2020 in KC. Having this be another local route will not be determinant. KC probably is not ready for regional LRT not because of population or economy but because of our poor land use. Using transit (streetcar/LRT) as a tool of shaping land use within urban KC and a limited number of other municipalities is probably a good tool. But in the entire metro... I'm probably too realistic to be overly disappointed by this.

If it goes on swift there is no ability to extend north.

NKC doesn’t have enough money to build it on their own.

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 5:03 pm If it goes on swift there is no ability to extend north.

NKC doesn’t have enough money to build it on their own.

Incorrect and correct, respectively.

The long-range plan is to continue north. KCMO will not participate in a plan that eliminates the option of extending north along North Oak, and they are critical to the south-of-the-river component and river crossing.

DaveKCMO wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:01 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 5:03 pm If it goes on swift there is no ability to extend north.

NKC doesn’t have enough money to build it on their own.

Incorrect and correct, respectively.

The long-range plan is to continue north. KCMO will not participate in a plan that eliminates the option of extending north along North Oak, and they are critical to the south-of-the-river component and river crossing.

How do you go north from Swift as anything but neighorhood streetcar?

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:18 pm

DaveKCMO wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:01 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 5:03 pm If it goes on swift there is no ability to extend north.

NKC doesn’t have enough money to build it on their own.

Incorrect and correct, respectively.

The long-range plan is to continue north. KCMO will not participate in a plan that eliminates the option of extending north along North Oak, and they are critical to the south-of-the-river component and river crossing.

How do you go north from Swift as anything but neighorhood streetcar?

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