The city celebrated its first streetcar station stop on Friday, with 15 more stops left to go.
People went to an outdoor party at the stop at 16th and Main streets, complete with food and drink from Anton’s Taproom.
The two-mile streetcar system is expected to be operating by early next year but officials say it has already prompted a billion dollars in downtown developments.
Mayor Sly James said, “Just as we predicted, the streetcar has stimulated a tremendous amount of investment, economic activity and innovation in downtown.”
KC streetcar, he said, “is a physical manifestation of a new Kansas City attitude and approach to building a vibrant and connected city for the next 50 years.”
As part of it, the city has invested $22 million to improve aging water and sewer lines and also will have a “smart city” initiative to provide Wi-Fi and services along route, the city noted in a media release.
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