Funding for a $100 million two-mile downtown streetcar system has been approved by voters in Kansas City, according to results announced this week.
By votes of 351 to 198 and 344 to 206, voters in downtown Kansas City approved a 1-cent sales tax increase and property tax increases to fund a local streetcar system, "[a]fter two decades of false starts and failures," reports Lynn Horsley. Although the system to be funded by the two measures will only run from River Market to Union Station, primarily on Main Street, "[s]upporters emphasized that just running streetcars through two miles of downtown was never the goal," notes Horsley. "They hope Wednesday’s results springboard a more extensive system of streetcars running to the Plaza and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and along east-west corridors such as 12th Street or 18th Street."
“This is going to be a game changer for our city, especially our downtown,” City Councilwoman Jan Marcason said.
“It will be historic,” Mayor Sly James said. “This is only a beginning.”
"The city hopes to begin construction next year and start running the streetcars in 2015."
FULL STORY: Downtown tax vote clears way for streetcar construction
The Limits of Kansas City’s Fare-Free Experiment
For the Missouri city, the economic and social benefits of eliminating transit fares outweigh the costs, but can their success be replicated in bigger cities more dependent on farebox revenue?
Kansas City Streetcar to Provide Frequent, Late Night Service
Under construction and expected to launch service in Fall 2015, the Kansas City Streetcar will provide frequent service in Downtown Kansas City.
Kansas City Streetcar Expansion Moves Forward; Wealthy Enclave Opts Out
A pair of articles by the Kansas City Star details a surprising development in the preparation for an expansion of the city’s streetcar: the affluent neighborhood of Brookside along the southwest corridor of the proposed extension opted out.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line
Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.
Are Mobility Hubs Child-Friendly?
‘Mobility hubs’ aim to make urban travel easier by connecting travel modes. Adding more services could make them more accessible and useful to women and families.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research