Early feedback: KC wants east-west streetcar line to 18th & Vine, transit leaders report

A possible KC Streetcar extension to the 18th & Vine Jazz District is gaining momentum as city leaders and residents work to shape what could become Kansas City’s first high-capacity east-west transit line.

Tuesday’s public meeting gave community members another opportunity to weigh in before a feasibility study hits the end of the line.

“This project from the very beginning was always community-driven,” said Donna Mandelbaum, communications and marketing director for the Kansas City Streetcar Authority, noting public meetings and feedback gathering began in February.

Community members visit with transit leaders and designers during a 18th & Vine Streetcar Feasibility Study public meeting at Keystone CoLAB; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

The meeting marked the second public engagement session for the 18th & Vine Streetcar Feasibility Study, which is evaluating route options, stop locations, ridership demand and redevelopment opportunities before any funding or construction decisions are made.

Tuesday also introduced a new hybrid route option that grew out of community feedback collected earlier this year.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Startland News (@startlandnews)

Community input drives the process

Project materials identify a preferred alignment that would travel east along 18th Street from Main Street with an optional loop near The Paseo. Planners say the route is easier to understand, avoids clearance issues beneath the 19th Street bridge and leaves room for future expansion farther east or west.

An illustration shows the preferred alignment identified through the project study: a double-track option on 18th Street; image courtesy of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority

Donna Mandelbaum, Kansas City Streetcar Authority; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Residents have largely welcomed the idea of bringing frequent transit east while also asking questions about cost, construction and neighborhood impacts.

“What we’ve been hearing is that people are excited that there could be a high-capacity transit line that actually goes east in Kansas City,” said Mandelbaum. “There are questions about funding. What does construction look like, especially if I have a small business? But I think overwhelmingly, we’ve heard that streetcar is a favorite option for a transit connection to 18th and Vine.”

Planners are focused on making sure local businesses benefit from the project rather than being left behind, she said.

“Our goal is to really support the community and make sure that they thrive,” Mandelbaum said. “The hope is that you’re riding the streetcar, you’re not paying a fare, and then maybe you’re getting off the streetcar and using that money to go to a restaurant or a boutique or an art show.”

Community members visit with transit leaders and designers during a 18th & Vine Streetcar Feasibility Study public meeting at Keystone CoLAB; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

A modern connection to a historic district

Kansas City Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley, who has championed the study, said the proposed extension fits with the city’s ongoing investment in the 18th & Vine District.

Kansas City Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley chats with Leonard Graham, co-owner of Taliaferro & Browne, during a 18th & Vine Streetcar Feasibility Study public meeting at Keystone CoLAB; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“I think this will be a really positive addition to the district,” said Patterson Hazley. “Focusing on tourism as it is an entertainment district, this is a nice next step to help people get here faster and easier and in a fun way. This brings us a modern way to experience the district.”

Years of operating the downtown streetcar have helped residents better understand the system and embrace expanding it, she said.

“People understand it more than they did a decade ago,” said Patterson Hazley. “People are more willing to entertain this type of transportation. They want to be a part of it, and I think the engagements that we have had show that people are excited.”

The study has engaged nearly 300 residents and collected more than 200 survey responses. Once the feasibility study is complete, the project team will turn its attention to funding, transit-oriented development planning and continued community engagement before any future design or construction begins.

“I’m taking note of everybody being excited,” said Patterson Hazley. “The crowd is diverse. They’re clearly coming from across the city, and that’s what we want to see because we want more people to come and experience quintessential Kansas City, which is 18th & Vine.”