Despite major resistance for an extended streetcar line, a shorter, 2-mile downtown light rail is quite popular. Supporters say there is a sense of "urgency" behind the project, which could be built as soon as 2015.
Brad Cooper of the Kansas City Star explains the situation:
"In the past, the city has been caught in a dilemma on rail: Build a short route that's cost effective but can't win wide public support for a tax, or build a longer route that gets political support but turns out to be too costly to build.
Now the city is starting where it believes support is the strongest."
Projected costs for the 2-mile stretch are between 60 and 100 million dollars.
Thanks to Nate Vander Broek
Read the full story: Streetcars could be running in downtown KC by 2015
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