KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City’s streetcar line will be shut down at least another two to three weeks after service was halted because of a track issue last week.
KC Streetcar offered that timeline on Sunday as it continues to repair tracks on the Main Street Bridge over Interstate 670, reporting on Twitter that “multiple crews are working around the clock” on the repairs.
Service was halted July 4 because of what the streetcar agency called “a track abnormality,” requiring a five-phase repair process. Work on the first phase, removal of the existing track, began July 6; the second phase, rail welding and placement, is set for this week. The exact repair schedule will depend on factors including weather and access to materials and needed equipment.
The Kansas City Star reports track and pavement failures led to the shutdown, and that preliminary indications are that multiple factors played a part, including heat expansion and degradation of the track slab and related materials.
The 2-mile, 16-stop streetcar — a fare-free operation — has been operating since 2016. It is currently undergoing two expansions — a 3.5 mile addition on Main Street to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a 0.7-mile addition along the city’s riverfront. Both are slated for completion in 2025.
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