KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. She is also a member of the On Track with KC team. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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Kansas City's $352 million streetcar extension opened Friday, with riders able to go from the River Market to UMKC, with stops along the streetcar's Main Street route.
The streetcar line now extends 3.5 miles, with city leaders hoping the expansion will revitalize key areas along the route, including the Country Club Plaza.
"We are hoping to next reinvigorate the Plaza," Mario Vasquez, City Manger for Kansas City, Mo., said.
Caroline Hogan, public relations manager for the Country Club Plaza, sees the streetcar as a game-changer for the area.
"This is a huge opportunity for people to just walk on over and explore one of the jewels and treasures of Kansas City," Hogan said.
The Plaza's new master plan focuses on increasing pedestrian activity throughout the district.
"That’s part of our long-term goal, which is to get more feet on the street," Hogan said.
Local businesses are already embracing the streetcar's arrival.
EB & Co., one of many Plaza retailers participating in opening weekend promotions, is offering 15% discounts to celebrate the launch of the Main Street extension.
"It helps supports local businesses and small businesses here," said Delaney Dorrian, assistant manager at EB & Co. "I love when Kansas City gets together and builds that community."
I caught up with some day one riders who described the extension as a smooth and fast ride. Christy Lambert was one of them. She praised the streetcar's ability to make the city more accessible.
"It makes so much of Kansas City accessible, the parts that people are really coming to this area to see," Lambert said.
For city leaders, success will be measured by ridership numbers and economic development along the Main Street corridor.
"For us, success is a lot of people using it for transit each day and the economic development that fills up Main Street down the line," Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said. "What you are going to see is thousands, if not tens of thousands, of more Kansas City residents coming along this stretch."
Rider Logan Heley can picture that future.
"I think you're going to see a lot more activity here," Heley said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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