Kansas City street starter line racks up financial, ridership and artwork successes in its first quarter of operation | The Kansas City Star

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

Authority directors heard that the 2.2-mile streetcar line, which opened in May, has far exceeded projections for ridership, tax receipts that pay for the system, national public relations and community involvement.

Ridership to date totaled 656,882, with an average daily ridership of about 6,800. By far the busiest day is Saturday, but several board members said they weren’t worried that “novelty” rides would abate. Rather, they said, the streetcar line is fostering a lifestyle change for people who live and work downtown.

“The economic development angle is undeniable,” Hagedorn said of an estimated $1.7 billion in development that’s at least partly related to the line. But he also acknowledged that board members need to be ready to respond to members of the public who question the line’s value and long-term viability.

Link: 

Kansas City street starter line racks up financial, ridership and artwork successes in its first quarter of operation | The Kansas City Star

MoBikeFed comment: Please note that cyclists who have ridden the roads in both Kansas City and St. Louis with new streetcar tracks, have observed that the tracks are very dangerous for bicyclists who use these routes. The tracks have a narrow groove that can easily catch a bicyclist's tire, causing a serious crash.

Because the tracks are parallel to the direction of bicyclist travel and dominate the right-hand traffic lane, where bicyclists usually travel, they make safe bicycling on the streetcar routes essentially impossible.

We are other bicycle groups in St. Louis and Kansas City have warned cyclists to avoid the roads with streetcar tracks and, instead, use alternate routes.

The bad news is, that the detail design of existing streetcar tracks in both St. Louis and Kansas City made the FAR more dangerous to cyclists than necessary.

The good news is the that leaders of the Kansas City streetcar have pledged to use more bicycle-friendly designs in the future.

With plans for expansion underway, we will soon see whether those pledges are kept.

More information on this issue:

http://mobikefed.org/2016/01/why-us-cities-are-installing-streetcar-trac...

http://mobikefed.org/2016/06/stl-riverfront-times-reporter-writes-about-...

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW LIGHT RAIL TRACKS IN KANSAS CITY AND ST LOUIS, AND WHAT CYCLISTS NEED TO KNOW

Below are more details about the light rail tracks, why they are dangerous, and what cyclists should do:

As we have mentioned before, cyclists should avoid the streets in both Kansas City and St Louis that have recently installed light rail tracks.

Light rail and trolley systems can be an amazing asset to their communities, providing the kind of transportation choice that cyclists and pedestrians also like to see.

But the recent Kansas City streetcar and St Louis trolley systems have come with the installation of miles of track with a groove that is extraordinarily dangerous for cyclists. The track is installed on streets already popular for cycling, and the design of both the Kansas City and St. Louis systems was done in a way that emphasized--rather than ameliorated--that danger to cyclists.

We must find a way to install trolley and light rail systems in Missouri, and the U.S., that does not destroy bicycle safety and access on the affected streets.

In the meanwhile, cyclists need to be very aware that existing streetcar and trolley tracks in St. Louis and Kansas City are extremely dangerous for cyclists who ride the streets where the tracks are installed.

At this time, we can only warn Missouri bicyclists to stay well away from the new streetcar tracks in St. Louis and Kansas City.

Be aware that these streetcar tracks are FAR more dangerous to cyclists than most other railroad tracks you may have encountered, because:

- There are MILES of the tracks installed on roads in the center of the city, often frequented by bicyclists

- The miles of track are all parallel to bicyclist direction of travel--the most dangerous and difficult configuration

- The tracks are laid in such a way that they are difficult and dangerous to cross, and often trap cyclists into a very narrow portion of the lane, between two tracks or between the track and the gutter

- The tracks have a narrow groove that is just the size and shape of most road bicycle tires and will grab the front and/or REAR wheel of your bicycle if you try to cross parallel to the tracks

We suggest that cyclists take these measures:

- Choose other routes if you can.

- Always cross the tracks at a 90 degree angle; never less than a 75-80 degree angle; never cross tracks that are running parallel to your direction of travel.

- If you don't have room to turn to get the proper angle to cross the tracks, you will have to stop and lift your bicycle over the tracks. Yes, the tracks are that dangerous.

- The slots in these tracks are deep enough to grab either your front OR your rear wheel and cause you to have a serious fall.