KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan is a member of the On Track with KC team dedicated to covering the Main Street Extension. He got the idea for this article from a question a viewer emailed to the newsroom. Share your story idea with Charlie.
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The Kansas City Streetcar’s long-awaited Main Street Extension opens to the public on Friday, Oct. 24. Many would-be riders want to know where they can park their cars before hopping aboard the streetcar.
KSHB 41 News viewer David sent traffic anchor Daniela Leon an email asking, “Is there parking I could use and possibly pay for?”
The On Track with KC team is dedicated to covering the streetcar’s extension and found a list of options for drivers.
University of Missouri-Kansas City
The terminal stop of the Main Street Extension is right on UMKC’s doorstep at East 51st Street and Brookside Boulevard.
The university set aside three areas on campus for streetcar riders to park: the 5050 Oak Street Garage, the surface parking on the north side of the Colonial Shops, and the fifth floor of the Cherry Street Garage, located at 5009 Cherry.
Parking is $1.25 per hour in each location. Drivers must pay using the AMP Park mobile app.
There is no limit for how long someone can stay parked at the locations.
Plaza stop
There is a city-owned surface parking lot just east of the Plaza streetcar stop with about 40 spaces. This is near Winstead’s.
Parking is free for now.
A spokesperson for the city’s Public Works Department said they’ll study ridership patterns and determine pricing for the lot eventually.
A spokeswoman for the Country Club Plaza shared this statement with KSHB 41 News about the new stop:
"Country Club Plaza is thrilled to celebrate the KC Streetcar extension opening this weekend. The new route makes it easier than ever for visitors and residents to explore even more of Kansas City — including the shops, restaurants, and experiences at Country Club Plaza. We’re excited to see how this new connection enhances accessibility and increases foot traffic across our property."
Neighborhood parking
There are several residential neighborhoods east and west of the Main Street Extension in Midtown. Most street-side parking is free with no time limit.
But people living in the neighborhoods say parking is already scarce, and they worry streetcar riders may take spaces they use outside their homes and apartments.
“It’s an older neighborhood, so there are not a lot of driveways. Also, there are a lot of apartments with not a lot of parking,” Nadja Karpilow, of the Old Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, said in May. “Already, we have pressure with parking as it is. Neighbors are concerned about what that’s going to look like in the neighborhood with even more people coming in.”
She said she’s in “wait-and-see” mode as the opening date approaches for the extension.
Union Station
Currently, Union Station is the southern-most point of the Kansas City Streetcar. Many riders choose to park here.
Drivers must pay to use both the surface parking lot and the parking garage.
Union Station caps daily charges at $24.
Downtown parking
The city says there are 40,000 parking spaces in downtown Kansas City, mostly along the original streetcar route.
Many of these parking spaces require payment. The city allows drivers to pick between three different apps to pay for parking: Park KC, PayByPhone and ParkMobile.
Free weekend parking
The parking lots at 601 and 711 Main Street are free to drivers on the weekends — except on KC Current game days.
These lots are right next to the North Loop stop on the original streetcar line.
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