Saturday, May 12, 2012

Turn that Streetcar sticker sideways


A great deal in the news this week about orientation. Here, I’m suggesting our Kansas City streetcar dream be turned ninety degrees from its present north south orientation to an east west azimuth. Consider the implications. Don’t be afraid. I think we need to connect the north south layers of Neapolitan-like cultural ice cream. The results will be sweet.

Seriously, this north south orientation will be more of the same, the MAX buses making a fast clean run from the City Market to Waldo, sometimes Plaza only. The other night, I was chillin’ in Brookside and it occurred to me that none of these folks desire a streetcar ride to The Power & Light. They have fresh veggies at a nice market. Who needs downtown? The Mercedes is safely parked in eyesight, right? Chill.

I recommend this streetcar line run up and down 18th or so street, west along the forgotten Southwest Boulevard to a park and ride off 35. Connect, connect. East to West, West to East.

And the planners say “But wait! To the north, there’s an airport there above Tiffany Springs!”. Right. Way up there. Do you really think we can get that far with a streetcar?

Before you become one of those green and white downtown streetcar sticker supporting persona and sport the sticker on your whatever, consider turning it, the sticker that is, sideways…and consider the amazing implications of connectedness that I dare you to consider.

East / West may be the best.

2 comments:

  1. This makes no sense. The streetcar should connect our densest neighborhoods. You fail to consider that a park and ride at SW BLVD and I-35 would garner no ridership because there are very few jobs/residences along the corridor. The Main Street corridor, however, has the people and jobs--and still plenty of room for more!

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