Transportation
Streetcar Authority Doesn’t Want Scooters to Wind Up in a Rut
By Kevin Collison They’re both electric, they’re both a cool way to get around downtown and they’re both on the same street. But when it comes to whizzing down Main, the Kansas City Streetcar Authority doesn’t want scooter riders to wind up in a rut–literally. That’s why the Authority is launching a campaign later this…
Streetcar Extension Cost Up $66 Million in Fed Funding Application
By Kevin Collison The cost of extending the streetcar from downtown to UMKC has increased to $316 million, up 26.4 percent from the previous $250 million estimate, according to an application for federal funding submitted last week by the Kansas City Streetcar Authority. Much of the increase is related to policy changes in Washington, streetcar…
Streetcar Authority Picks Outer Lanes of Main Street for Planned Extension
By Kevin Collison The Streetcar Authority plans to run the proposed extension from downtown to UMKC on the outside lanes of Main Street, saying it would provide a more pedestrian-friendly access and greater economic development opportunities. The decision to go outside rather than the alternative of an alignment down the middle of Main Street was…
New Streetcar Shelters Planned for North Loop Stop
By Kevin Collison The Streetcar Authority and the city are planning to upgrade the North Loop stop at Seventh and Main, installing full shelters on both sides of the street in response to higher than anticipated demand. The North Loop stop is near several residential buildings and parking lots that have become popular park-and-ride locations on…
Bird Arrives Downtown, ‘Lil Lectric’ Scooters Not Without Controversy
By Kevin Collison The Bird quietly scooted into downtown Kansas City Wednesday, a new smartphone-based personal transportation method that like its predecessors Lyft and Uber, is not without controversy elsewhere. The dock-free electric scooters, which are rented using a smartphone app, are billed as an ideal way for people to roll that last few blocks…