Kansas City’s last streetcar is expected late next week

Kansas City’s fourth and final streetcar is expected to leave the manufacturer in New York on Monday and arrive late next week, streetcar officials said Thursday.

That schedule is in keeping with ongoing planning for a public grand opening May 6-7, Streetcar Authority executive director Tom Gerend told authority board members.

“That gives us the time we need,” Gerend said, noting that the three other vehicles are well along in testing and will all soon be seen doing full-route test runs from 6 a.m. to midnight, from River Market to Union Station.

Planning continues for a big celebration, including a rolling downtown street party, in early May. Streetcar spokeswoman Donna Mandelbaum said restaurants and shops along the route are planning their own events, such as food tents, yoga and other fun activities, to complement the streetcar party.

Many more details will start to roll out the week of April 18, she said. Information will be at kcstreetcar.org.

In another significant development Thursday, the Streetcar Authority board approved a contract of up to $150,000 with the Downtown Community Improvement District to hire three full-time “safety ambassadors.” They will ride the streetcars and provide information and guidance to passengers and identify and address public safety issues.

Gerend said these employees will not carry guns. He emphasized that security will primarily be the responsibility of the Kansas City Police Department, which has assigned a liaison to the streetcar operation.

Safety and security are always a transit concern, but the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, which operates the bus service, has indicated downtown should not pose a serious problem, said board member David Johnson.

“We’ve talked to the ATA about security,” Johnson said, noting that the bus system’s occasional problem areas are elsewhere. “Since downtown in general is very safe, the streetcar should also be very safe.”

Other streetcar highlights revealed Thursday:

▪ Streetcar passenger testing with various groups, including cyclists, downtown charter school students and people with disabilities, has gone well.

Dianna Villigan, whose 22-year-old son, Jeremy Hoffman, is visually impaired and uses a wheelchair, told the board that their test ride on the streetcar was “fantastic.”

She pointed out ways the streetcar could provide more audio cues for people with vision problems but said that in general the streetcar will be a huge asset for people with disabilities.

▪ Plans to provide Wi-Fi on the streetcar are progressing, although it’s not certain that feature will be available on opening day.

▪ Kansas City will also play host Monday through Wednesday to a national group of streetcar planners and enthusiasts. The city is expecting about 130 people for the Community Streetcar Coalition 2016 Summit conference, and participants will have a chance to ride the streetcar.

“People are interested in our story,” Gerend said. “It’s a good opportunity to showcase Kansas City and really all of downtown.”

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 2:37 PM with the headline "Kansas City’s last streetcar is expected late next week."