USA: The KC Streetcar Authority and Kansas City Area Transportation Authority have selected the KC Streetcar Southern Extension Technical Services consortium to study a southern extension of the city’s starter tram line.
The consortium is led by HDR and includes Burns & McDonnell, HNTB, Trekk Design Group, Hg Consult, Parson + Associates, VSM Engineering and Architectural & Historical Research.
The southern extension would run towards the University of Missouri, Kansas City. It is currently envisaged to be built with federal funding. A northern extension is being studied separately.
‘Today people recognise that public transit is so much more than moving people from point A to point B’, said KCATA CEO Robbie Makinen. ‘It is about creating jobs, providing jobs access and providing economic development opportunities.’
The initial 3·1 route-km KC Streetcar line opened on May 6 2016, connecting Union Station with the River Market district including a single-direction loop at the northern end. Services are operated by Herzog Transit Services under a five-year contract.
