The streetcar might seem like a transit method of the past, but look at some of the major metropolitan areas in the U.S. — Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Tucson, Atlanta, Dallas, Washington D.C. and Orange County — and it’s clear that cities are starting to embrace the streetcar once again. While it’s one cog in the wheel of a comprehensive transit system, streetcar systems can act as a boon for economic development, and a powerful tool for revitalizing sagging corridors and attracting the much-sought after talent of a young, hip workforce who choose to reduce, delay, or completely forego car ownership.
2 KC streetcar petitions headed for August ballot
One of the petitions seeks two sales taxes totaling three-eighths of a cent for 25 years to pay for streetcar expansion, while the other would prohibit Kansas City from doing any planning or implementing of any fixed-rail expansion without a citywide vote.