KC Streetcar Reopens Downtown After Track Repairs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – KC Streetcar crews performed track maintenance and repairs after a streetcar operator noticed a failed rail on July 4th.

A media alert from KC Streetcar Track Repairs announced the return of service downtown. Earlier this month, RT&S reported on the track failure on the Main Street Bridge on July 4^th. KC Streetcar Track Repairs has stated that the failure was due to “thermal expansion and degradation of the streetcar track slab and related repair materials around the failed rail.” 

Repairs were scheduled to take a couple weeks, which included inspection, cleaning, and repair of all four rails on the bridge, using 45 cubic yards of concrete for reconstruction of four approach slabs and welding of rail joints, installation of five new surface drains, replacement of pavement within the intersection of Truman Road North and Main Street, and reconstruction of 800 linear feet of embedded track in 2,220 gallons of elastomeric grout. During suspension, streetcar crews also inspected the “entire downtown alignment and completed preventative maintenance in other areas and locations of need.”

Tom Gerend, Executive Director of the KC Streetcar Authority stated that “within 36 hours of the track failure, the collective KC Streetcar team had developed an aggressive, multi-agency repair plan and mobilized contractor and supplier resources from across the county. . . And within 48 hours of the suspension, crews, streetcar staff, and partners were on site making planned repairs and the team worked day and night since then to ensure a safe and timely recovery of service.”

Now that service has resumed, the “Power & Light District northbound and the Kauffman Center northbound streetcar stops are back open and Main Street between Truman Road North and South has reopened to all traffic.”