Transit lanes on Main Street change up driving along streetcar route
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City leaders gathered to explain new transit road markings. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
Drivers on Main Street in Kansas City will see new road markings that might cause some cruising confusion.
Why it matters: It's part of the streetcar's Main Street Extension traffic plan, which officials hope will improve road safety while making transit faster and more reliable.
Driving the news: The cones are gone after years of construction, and drivers now using the new traffic patterns are adjusting to the change.
- My thought bubble: I've seen multiple cars driving in the wrong lanes to avoid lines at the light, while others have veered back into vehicular lanes after seeing the markings at the last minute.
How it works: Lanes painted all red show where cars aren't supposed to go. Red stripes spanning the lane designate transition areas for drivers turning right. Red and white road lines show which side transit is on versus car traffic. Signs indicate turn-only lanes.
- "When you see red, think transit-only," KC Streetcar Authority executive director Tom Gerend said on Thursday.
The big picture: City leaders are trying to make Main Street a high-transit artery, where trains run on time, operators have clear paths, and pedestrians feel safer crossing the road.
- "We're trying to make sure that this is a line that doesn't get stuck behind automobile traffic," Mayor Quinton Lucas said.
Between the lines: Vehicular lanes are down to one in either direction, plus turn lanes — a reduction from the previous six-lane road.
- Traffic won't move as fast, which is part of the plan to calm the roadway.
What they're saying: "This is a broader effort to reclaim our streets, both for pedestrian safety and for mass transit, which is greener for the environment and easier on the pocketbook for our residents," 6th District Councilmember Jonathan Duncan said.
- 4th District Councilmember Eric Bunch said street parking and turn lanes will still allow car access to businesses.
Context: It's not the first time the city has used transit lanes. Downtown has bus-only lanes, and sections of Gillham Road use red paint.
- But, they've never been so prominent or widely used as they are now, soon to be stretching from Union Station to UMKC.'
What's next: The Streetcar Authority is working on educating the public before the extension opens on Oct. 24 and traffic enforcement begins.
- Drivers disobeying the rules could get their vehicles towed and face a fine of $50 or more.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say Tom Gerend is KC Streetcar Authority's executive director (not president).