Funding for a $100 million two-mile downtown streetcar system has been approved by voters in Kansas City, according to results announced this week.
By votes of 351 to 198 and 344 to 206, voters in downtown Kansas City approved a 1-cent sales tax increase and property tax increases to fund a local streetcar system, "[a]fter two decades of false starts and failures," reports Lynn Horsley. Although the system to be funded by the two measures will only run from River Market to Union Station, primarily on Main Street, "[s]upporters emphasized that just running streetcars through two miles of downtown was never the goal," notes Horsley. "They hope Wednesday’s results springboard a more extensive system of streetcars running to the Plaza and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and along east-west corridors such as 12th Street or 18th Street."
“This is going to be a game changer for our city, especially our downtown,” City Councilwoman Jan Marcason said.
“It will be historic,” Mayor Sly James said. “This is only a beginning.”
"The city hopes to begin construction next year and start running the streetcars in 2015."
FULL STORY: Downtown tax vote clears way for streetcar construction
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