The KC Streetcar Main Street Extension had its grand opening ceremony today, Oct. 24, connecting students to different parts of the city with the new 3.5-mile-long route.
The $352 million extension of the streetcar includes 15 new stops to the existing route, enhanced public spaces, improved pedestrian access and connects the current stop at Union Station to 51st Street and Brookside Boulevard.
“The grand opening of the Main Street Extension represents our community’s investment in generational growth, providing more opportunities for more residents and visitors alike while remaining fare-free for all,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas.
Along with the new route, KCSA and UMKC have partnered to release a new wrapped streetcar that shows different aspects of UMKC in its bold colors. KCSA regularly wraps its cars, ranging from sports teams to musical artists and local art.
“We’re really excited to put forward what Kansas City says is special and show people all over the world that are coming here that KC is pretty cool,” said Donna Mandelbaum, communications and marketing director for the KCSA.
The process of wrapping a streetcar can take a couple of months from design to concept to creation to actual installation, and is paid for by the group that is wrapping them.
“We manage the process for them, but it is something that is seen as a revenue for us and an advertising opportunity for those entities,” Mandelbaum said.
The wrapping takes place in KCSA’s recently updated maintenance building, which can accommodate all 14 of the streetcars when they are not out on the lines. It is done by a local company called Signco.
