The KC Streetcar is gearing up to undergo a major milestone that will connect the River Market and downtown route through the Main Street expansion.
Scheduled for Monday, Sept. 30, usage of the streetcar will be suspended for approximately four weeks. Construction crews will be working day and night, weather permitting, until this segment is complete.
Many students expressed lack of interest in the streetcar, most stating that it was not close enough to make a difference in commute.
“I think the construction is a little inconvenient, but my hopes are that it makes public transportation more accessible,” said Simone Griggs, a senior in the film and media arts department. “Students will benefit from it, especially those who live on campus or are international and would otherwise be unable to get downtown or to the River Market area,”
The construction over the next few weeks is a key component of moving the city forward and securing multiple transportation options for citizens.
“The streetcar system has been used to revitalize major roadways in other cities. In our case, I feel that the Main Street has been neglected for quite a while,” said Sungyop Kim, a professor of Urban Planning and Design in the Division of Natural and Built Environment.“t This streetcar system may contribute to the revitalization of Main Street. ”
Since opening day of the KC Streetcar in May 2016, the free service has had more than 7.8 million trips, averaging a daily ridership of 6,107 people according to a survey by Ride KC.
“Very trendy projects tend to overestimate riderships, but in our case, in fact, we underestimated the ridership,” said Kim.
Continued work on the 3.5-mile streetcar expansion will eventually include 16 new stops, one being at 51st Street and Brookside for UMKC students. The full extension of this project is expected to be open to the public in 2025.
“I’ve lived in other cities that have a lot more public transit options and I will say KC is pretty far behind, so maybe this will encourage more lines of transit later on,” Griggs said. For more information on the KC Streetcar expansion, closures and updates, checkout the RideKC website and BuildKCStreetcar.
