As of April 2025, the Kansas City Streetcar extension is 97% complete. Construction on the extension began in April 2022 and, when opened, will extend the streetcar line by 3.5 miles south on Main Street. 16 stops are being added, with the end of the line being the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) stop at 51st Street and Brookside.
UMKC students and graduates have been fierce advocates for the extension. Some have even interned with the Kansas City Streetcar Authority (KCSA) to get a better understanding of how transit systems function. Daniel Folk, director of career services at UMKC’s Henry W. Bloch School of Management recently spoke to the press and commended the project for what it is doing in terms of connecting students to opportunities. He estimates that 25% of business students work within a 4-block radius of the new streetcar line, making the streetcar a plausible option for their work or internship commute. There is also the potential of the new streetcar being an option for UMKC sports fans who head to campus for a variety of events. Ursula Gurney, deputy director of athletics at UMKC, is hopeful the extension will streamline traffic as more people choose the streetcar over driving in addition to allowing access to games that people may not have otherwise had.
View local coverage here: KC Streetcar service poised to elevate UMKC connections, opportunities