Downtown Council endorses TIGER grant application for Streetcar

The Executive Committee of the Downtown Council of Kansas City voted unanimously on Thursday, April 19 to endorse the City’s pursuit of a federal $25 million Tiger IV grant application considered crucial to building a $100 million Downtown Streetcar system.

The endorsement marks an important milestone in the streetcar development process. It illustrates a spirit of cooperation between the City and the Downtown Council as they work in partnership to address concerns  regarding the proposed 2.2-mile streetcar system through the heart of Downtown.

“Like the City, our membership has a great affinity for Downtown and want nothing more than to help Downtown Kansas City succeed,” said Bill Dietrich, president of the Downtown Council. “We look forward to continued efforts to help define a streetcar project that becomes a true catalyst for economic development in Kansas City.”

“We are encouraged by these modifications and continue to work with the City on a daily basis to further delineate the governance plan, secure additional funding, finalize the transit-oriented development plan, ensure the development of an effective construction mitigation plan and ensure coordination with the Jackson County Commuter Rail Study,” Dietrich said. “Although much work remains to be accomplished, we appreciate the efforts of Mayor James, Councilmen Johnson and Glover and City staff who listened to concerns expressed and responded by making the proposal more viable.”