The KC Streetcar first opened its sliding doors to downtown travelers on this day in 2016.
The big picture: It's been a decade of ding-dongs and honk-honks — with the line tripling in size, cars welcoming millions of passengers and investors jumping on the development train.
Catch up quick: The streetcar ran along a roughly 2-mile route from the River Market down to Union Station until last October, when it added 3.5 miles and extended access down to UMKC.
Another extension running north to the riverfront is set to open May 18, bringing the total to 6.5 miles and 14 streetcar vehicles.
By the numbers:Ridership has boomed since the Main Street Extension, with March 2026 tracking 371,456 riders, a record high.
To date, the streetcar has welcomed more than 18 million people aboard.
A majority now board in Midtown (30%), the Plaza and UMKC (20%), and the downtown loop (20%).
Follow the money: The Main Street Extension cost $352 million, and the Riverfront Extension cost $61 million.
As of a 2024 report, the streetcar has been a contributing factor in more than $5 billion worth of development projects around downtown.
Nine projects along Midtown are currently underway — not to mention everything going in at the riverfront.
What's next: Transit officials are studying the potential for an east-west line.
