Transportation
Nick’s Picks | Fan Fest, Streetcar, Liquor and More …
World Cup Begins The wait is finally over. The first ball of the 2026 World Cup will be kicked Thursday, ushering in 5 ½ weeks of competition across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It’s also opening day for Kansas City’s FIFA Fan Fest at the National World War I Museum and Memorial—our first real…
Streetcar Riverfront Extension Cost Jumps 75 Percent
By Kevin Collison The cost of extending the streetcar line to the riverfront has jumped 75 percent to $61.1 million, forcing local funders to bump up their contributions and also seek private donations. As recently as May, the projected cost of the seven-tenths mile extension from the River Market to the midpoint of Berkley Riverfront…
Redesigned Main Street Will Include Dedicated Streetcar Lanes, Landscaping
By Kevin Collison The new streetcar extension from Union Station to UMKC set to open in 2025 is being designed to have dedicated lanes each way the entire route, according to officials. Acting on a request from the Kansas City Council, the authority is including dedicated lanes as part of an overall plan intended to…
Streetcar, More Housing, May Offer Better Future for Country Club Plaza
By Kevin Collison More people coming to the Country Club Plaza, whether arriving on the new streetcar extension or walking from big apartment projects in the works, are considered critical to the district’s success moving forward. “We think we’ll be driving thousands of people to that district on a daily basis and someday maybe tens…
River Cruise Operator May Sail to Kansas City
By Kevin Collison The Berkley riverfront activities are expanding to include a soccer stadium, beer garden, streetcar, rejuvenated casino and potentially, in the not too distant future, a landing for big cruise boats plying the Missouri River. At its meeting this week, the Port KC board was told a river cruise operator now sailing on…
MoDOT Seeks New Amtrak Service from KC to Springfield, St. Joe, STL
By Kevin Collison Expanding passenger rail service from Union Station by adding a third daily round-trip to St. Louis, and new connections to St. Joseph and the Springfield area is being explored by state transportation officials. The Missouri Department of Transportation is seeking $38 million from the state to apply for the additional Amtrak routes…
City Manager: Several More Cordish Towers in Works, Rail to Airport Too?
By Kevin Collison When it comes to ‘Lighting’ up downtown, Cordish and the city are far from over partnering on residential towers with four additional high-rise projects potentially in the works, according to City Manager Brian Platt. In a continuation of his recent interview with CityScene, Platt also said he’s pushing for a rail transit…
East-West Streetcar Could Cost $600M, Need New Funding Source
(Editor’s note: This article originally was published Feb. 10, 2023) By Kevin Collison Kansas City has reached the end of the track when it comes to expanding its streetcar system unless it adopts a broader approach to local funding, according to a new study exploring a potential east-west route. It would cost $450- to $600…
Study Looks at Reconnecting Berkley Riverfront to Columbus Park
By Kevin Collison After being neglected for much of the 20th Century, the downtown riverfront is becoming a new community and now is looking for better ways to connect with nearby neighborhoods, including Columbus Park. A Connectivity Study is underway with the goal of identifying ways to overcome obstacles posed by the busy rail corridor…
Rock Island Bridge Project Gets $4M Boost from Kansas
By Kevin Collison Attendees at a ceremonial kickoff for the Rock Island Bridge project heard more than routine remarks from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly this week, she also announced a $4 million state grant. “I have been following this project for a long time and was very excited when Lt. Gov. (David) Toland brought it…