Streetcar to extend south

Streetcar Extension

By John Sharp

The probability of Kansas City’s streetcar line extending toward south Kansas City from Union Station took a big step forward June 20 when election officials announced that voters in  a mail-in election approved separate sales and property taxes by approximately three to one margins to help pay for a 3.7 mile extension of the line to the vicinity of UMKC.

Residents of a transportation development district generally running from the Missouri River to 53rd St. and from the Kansas border to Campbell were eligible to vote in the election to approve a one-cent sales tax for 30 years and a property tax increase for 25 years to help fund the extension along with hoped for federal funding.

If federal funding is approved, plans call for the extension to be operational by 2023.  

Stops for the extension along Main already have been approved at 27th St., 31st St., Armour Blvd., 39th St., 43rd St., 45th St., between Emanuel Cleaver Blvd. & Ward Pkwy. and at 51st St.  Public hearings have been conducted on whether the extension should run in the inside or center lanes of the street or run in the outside lanes next to the curb or on-street parking.