This story is part of an ongoing series, On Track with KC. If you have questions about the extension of the streetcar, you can submit them here.
—
The KC Streetcar Main Street Extension is 97% complete. One of the most highly anticipated stops is at 51st and Brookside, which is just feet away from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
"I feel like the streetcar will bring a lot of help when it comes to transportation to other parts of the city," said Madison Page, UMKC senior. "I'm excited to have a Saturday with my girls and go to the River Market and go get some flowers.”
In the five years since the extension was approved, current students and UMKC graduates have played vital roles in ensuring the streetcar's success. Many have held internships with the KC Streetcar Authority (KCSA), like Elliott Smith, who was exposed to data analyzing ridership reports and trends.
"It was really cool to learn how the ins and outs work at the streetcar, learn about transit operations, and it was really fun just to see the inside of what the streetcar is doing," Smith said. "It's just a good service. It's nice, it's clean and it's easy to ride. And so being able to use this to go downtown and just to experience life in Kansas City in a different way will be so good."
Daniel Folk, director of career services at UMKC's Henry W. Bloch School of Management, estimates nearly 25% of business students are employed within a four-block radius of the streetcar line. Folk explained the close proximity allows companies and businesses to retain talent, exposes students to site visits and eliminates transportation barriers.
"They (students) have the opportunity to not have to fill up their tank just to get to their full-time job, their part-time job, their internship, and they could get back and forth while making money without spending too much money," he said.
The introduction of the extension is also expected to impact UMKC athletic events. Ursula Gurney, deputy director of athletics for UMKC, said conversations have begun with KCSA to streamline traffic during athletic events.
Gurney also said the university is looking at enhancing athletic partnerships with businesses.
"We are hopeful that the accessibility that the streetcar brings gives more access to our campus, and in turn brings more access and fans to all of our games," Gurney said. "We want to utilize businesses locally to not only expose people to those businesses but to also enhance the partnership with athletics."
Last November, UMKC announced plans to revise its development plans for a five-acre parcel of land at 51st and Brookside, near the stop. UMKC said it’s looking at implementing this project in phases, starting with retail development and later an arena project for athletic and community events.
"I think Kansas City athletics would love to move forward at the right point in creating and building an arena that would be accessible to campus, would be accessible to the community," Gurney said. "We're hoping this is something that we can continue to pursue in the near future."
—
KSHB 41 anchor/reporter Daniela Leon covers transportation-related issues in Kansas City. Share your story idea with Daniela.