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Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:40 pm
by watcher64110
Question: Have they considered adding the Main Max busses eventually stopping at streetcar stops along the extension through midtown to increase service frequency?
I ask because this was how I learned to ride the bus in Boston many years ago when I was a student. The green E-line near my apartment was surface running and parallel with the #39 bus (which had replaced the streetcar past the VA hospital there into Jamaica Plain and was included in the T-pass) and as a "newbie" to public transit I learned with time that the bus was okay and sometimes faster. Busses or streetcar came every few minutes along that section: very convenient.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2022 6:12 pm
by daGOAT
watcher64110 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:40 pm
Question: Have they considered adding the Main Max busses eventually stopping at streetcar stops along the extension through midtown to increase service frequency?
I ask because this was how I learned to ride the bus in Boston many years ago when I was a student. The green E-line near my apartment was surface running and parallel with the #39 bus (which had replaced the streetcar past the VA hospital there into Jamaica Plain and was included in the T-pass) and as a "newbie" to public transit I learned with time that the bus was okay and sometimes faster. Busses or streetcar came every few minutes along that section: very convenient.
Its worth considering but I have heard the MAX will just run higher frequency service from Emmanuel and Main to Waldo. Living off Wilshire in Los Angeles I can say that having subway access, BRT, and regular bus service is convenient. Personally I thought continuing MAX service on Broadway would be cool, especially if the Blvd got the Prospect treatment.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:25 am
by DaveKCMO
daGOAT wrote: ↑Wed Jun 08, 2022 6:12 pm
watcher64110 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:40 pm
Question: Have they considered adding the Main Max busses eventually stopping at streetcar stops along the extension through midtown to increase service frequency?
I ask because this was how I learned to ride the bus in Boston many years ago when I was a student. The green E-line near my apartment was surface running and parallel with the #39 bus (which had replaced the streetcar past the VA hospital there into Jamaica Plain and was included in the T-pass) and as a "newbie" to public transit I learned with time that the bus was okay and sometimes faster. Busses or streetcar came every few minutes along that section: very convenient.
Its worth considering but I have heard the MAX will just run higher frequency service from Emmanuel and Main to Waldo. Living off Wilshire in Los Angeles I can say that having subway access, BRT, and regular bus service is convenient. Personally I thought continuing MAX service on Broadway would be cool, especially if the Blvd got the Prospect treatment.
Yes, that's the plan. I wouldn't expect it to change. Not enough resources to run parallel services anywhere in this region.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:37 am
by earthling
^Which is the plan? Extending streetcar line via MAX to Waldo with more frequency and/or turning Broadway into a MAX line?
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 10:15 am
by GRID
I hope they are not taking local bus service off Main Street. Even with streetcar, you really need a local bus to compliment the streetcar like the X2 does with DC's streetcar. Especially for a streetcar that runs in mixed traffic and next to parked cars.
The X2 bus line is far more dependable, faster and frequent because DC botched the streetcar design. May not be as bad in KC since KC is not congested like DC, but I still think you need a high quality bus route and not only a streetcar.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 10:19 am
by earthling
^I agree and would like to see MAX from Waldo to North Oak overlaid with streetcar but Dave said that's simply not going to happen due better use of funding. The best case scenario appears to be either MAX extensions at streetcar endpoints or along Broadway instead of Main.
They can still run extra buses along streetcar when streetcar is either out of order long term or for major events beyond streetcar capacity. Probably a good thing streetcar is not center running along Main for those purposes as our buses don't have left entry doors.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 10:24 am
by GRID
It doesn't have to be MAX level with the fancy stops etc. Just a high frequency local bus with more stops actually.
Hopefully they move MAX to Broadway and have that line intersect with the ends of the streetcar and then go on to N Oak and Waldo or make it a stand alone and have other routes go to NKC and Waldo from the Streetcar transit stations.
Either way, you need local bus service on Main from the River Market to Plaza.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 10:34 am
by DaveKCMO
earthling wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:37 am
^Which is the plan? Extending streetcar line via MAX to Waldo with more frequency and/or turning Broadway into a MAX line?
KCATA will operate frequent bus service between Plaza stop and Waldo along the existing Main MAX alignment (but it will not be branded MAX). That's what is described in the federal grant.
Broadway service
should be what's contemplated in RideKC Next (hourly service from East Village to UMKC via Broadway), but that's an open question right now. Broadway and Main are less than 1/4-mile apart for most of the distance between Plaza and downtown. Streetcar's walk shed has proven to be farther than that.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:28 am
by KCPowercat
We have no need for bus and streetcar on the same street. Come on guys.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 12:10 pm
by GRID
KCPowercat wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:28 am
We have no need for bus and streetcar on the same street. Come on guys.
Maybe KC doesn't, but it makes some sense to have an overlying bus line. More stops for those that need access to places between the streetcar stops, more frequency so you don't always have to wait for one or the other and more options in case the streetcar gets stuck in traffic, in a crash or any other thing that can bog down the rail line while buses can keep operating.
I know DC is a different a animal, but the streetcar in DC barely impacted the bus routes. Although if KC did have a complimenting bus line, that line would need to go beyond the streetcar route from say Waldo to Gladstone.
https://ggwash.org/view/61704/dc-street ... re-riding-
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 12:35 pm
by KCPowercat
The max now doesn't provide local stops and it's the only line on main (in theory since there are zero rn). I get the benefits but we have to be realistic about our resources.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 2:54 pm
by beautyfromashes
KCPowercat wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:28 am
We have no need for bus and streetcar on the same street. Come on guys.
The buses will just slow down lead times. They'll block the line or back up traffic that will block the train. Totally inefficient. You want to ride Max bus instead of changing, take the Troost line.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2022 10:49 am
by shaffe
Also isn't the longest stretch between stops on the whole line, save for going over the train tracks and north loop, only 4 blocks? Even with the somewhat pedestrian-hostile stretch of Main through midtown I'm not sure it's worth running a bus so people only have to walk one block from a stop instead of two.
Keep bus traffic on Broadway-Mill Creek-Baltimore IMO. I'd love to see an off-street transit center where it connects with the streetcar at the Plaza before jogging over to Wornall to serve south KC. It might require an extra lane added to Wornall in some spots though.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2022 2:04 pm
by earthling
Seems this is moving faster than when first line was built. Would make sense with lessons learned, or is my perception off base?
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... -27th.html
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:43 am
by AlkaliAxel
Could it open early in 2024 then?
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:17 am
by Anthony_Hugo98
AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:43 am
Could it open early in 2024 then?
When I went to the open house, the boards up around the room had some dates covered up with tape that were the original construction timelines. Had them finishing up construction in late 2024 and starting op in 25, but the late 24 was covered, so construction is (per SCA) supposed to be done Mid-24 now. Testing and whatnot will take quite a bit with this new stretch, but I don’t think it’d be totally out of the realm of possibility
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:02 pm
by AlkaliAxel
Are they going to start making the Liberty Memorial stop station soon? Or are they doing all those last
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 1:24 pm
by DaveKCMO
AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:02 pm
Are they going to start making the Liberty Memorial stop station soon? Or are they doing all those last
They are trying to do as much track and hardscape in each segment as possible, compared to the starter line where they tried to do utilities and track at the same time then come back with platforms later.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:28 pm
by Anthony_Hugo98
Unsure if they’ve started to keep a security guard/bumble bees on staff every shift, but I’ve noticed a significant uptick in some obvious narcotic enthusiasts who are riding. I had family visiting and took them downtown, and there was an individual who was being INCREDIBLY vocal and vulgar. Thankfully we were pretty far away, but my cousins wife was noticeably uncomfortable with her kids near him. The lady who was seated across from this guy ended up getting off on a stop that wasn’t hers, and waited for the next streetcar instead of finishing the ride across from this guy.
I’m all for accessible transit (obviously, pretty sure we all are) but it isn’t a good look when folks like this go unchecked and continue to cause disruptions and borderline harassment in public. Anything that can be done for these issue? It seems this has become a more prevalent issue since COVID as well, and doesn’t seem to be getting better.
Re: OFFICIAL - Main Street Streetcar Extension
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:44 pm
by normalthings
Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:28 pm
Unsure if they’ve started to keep a security guard/bumble bees on staff every shift, but I’ve noticed a significant uptick in some obvious narcotic enthusiasts who are riding. I had family visiting and took them downtown, and there was an individual who was being INCREDIBLY vocal and vulgar. Thankfully we were pretty far away, but my cousins wife was noticeably uncomfortable with her kids near him. The lady who was seated across from this guy ended up getting off on a stop that wasn’t hers, and waited for the next streetcar instead of finishing the ride across from this guy.
I’m all for accessible transit (obviously, pretty sure we all are) but it isn’t a good look when folks like this go unchecked and continue to cause disruptions and borderline harassment in public. Anything that can be done for these issue? It seems this has become a more prevalent issue since COVID as well, and doesn’t seem to be getting better.
I understand this was an issue cities that previously tried free transit struggled with