yeah, their district was really specific to the light rail plan. so a vote would be needed.

http://transitkc.com/?p=299

i've been quoted back to myself. weird.

That's what happens when you are THE authority.

Oh that stop.... I figured that was decided so long ago that those savings would have been known awhile back.

BTW dropping that jog was the smartest move.

it was decided long ago, but they never revealed the cost savings. let's not forget that the engineers aren't done yet. there could be more savings still.

Rode streetcars in Seattle and Portland this weekend.... I'm ready!!!

Specific to Portland, your impression of streetcars?

I'm headed there tomorrow and I'm looking for reviews of their success/fail.

I love the Portland Streetcar. We have stayed up around NW 21st within easy walking distance of Streetcar. On our visits we take the bus up to the Rose Garden then walk down to PSU, catch the streetcar and ride back. Makes for an awesome morning--lots of good views and neighborhoods.

I'm looking to forward to visiting again once the next leg is open across the river.

EDIT: I should also throw in the that the Streetcar has been packed every time I've ridden it and seems to move at a reasonable clip for a vehicle in mixed traffic.

Dave-
I will be voting Yes for this, but can you clarify what property tax cost is to RESIDENTIAL owners in the district? The Star had figures, but they didn't make sense. They said something like 70 cents for every $100 of assessed value but then said it would be like $266 on a $200,000 condo, which doesn't add up. At all. Can you provide some clarity?

70 cents per $100 of assessed value. that value is WAY lower than your market value. guess your market value and plug it into this calculator: http://www.dnakcmo.org/streetcar.html

Gotcha, thanks! Makes way more sense, I missed(understood) the assessed part!

Congrats!

Not to get too off topic here--but Dave, what's the story on the end of the Free Rail Zone in Portland? Money I imagine, but is there more to it?

money. it used to be larger, but it's shrunk and now it's going away.

Well, it was nice while it lasted. It was pretty handy as a tourist--but buying a day pass won't be any big deal.

To not monkey up this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=18391

forgot to mention that councilman johnson handed out a list of proposed phase 2 expansions:

- independence avenue (grand to topping)
- 12th street east (main to jackson)
- 18th street east (main to benton)
- UMKC (pershing to 51st)
- southwest boulevard (main to state line)
- 12th street west (main to genessee)
- north kansas city (3rd to NE 32nd)

all are subject to planning funding, but none would be required to go through federal alternatives analysis since MAP-21 was approved. that will save a LOT of money on expansion (and, thus, time). there's a map to accompany the list, but i don't have an electronic version. try this tweet: https://twitter.com/kclightrail/status/230824539356024833/photo/1

worth noting that all KCMO lines are within council districts 3 and 4.

I feel like south to the Plaza/UMKC has to be the second phase. I'd really like east on Indy Ave to follow that. But a re-do of the north loop/6th St really should accompany that, and that would make it much more complicated and expensive.

do you live in the main street corridor? now is the time to start your TDD discussion. neighborhood groups, CIDs, major property owners, etc.

The SW Boulevard line seems to be the least needed. I don't see a big payoff for that line. I'd rather see one run down Linwood or 31st Street to at least Benton, or Armour Boulevard to Bruce Watkins Drive. Armour would probably be the best, since it has a lot of apartment buildings already along it, and potential for new ones to be constructed.

Agreed, except it would probably have to be in Linwood. East of Paseo, Armour turns back into 35th St and gets much narrower. Linwood is 5 lanes all the way, I think.