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Kansas City Council Approves More Streetcar Funding

An Ameritram streetcar visited Kansas City's Union Station last year. A similar vehicle would be used on Kansas City's proposed streetcar system
KCTRANSIT.com
An Ameritram streetcar visited Kansas City's Union Station last year. A similar vehicle would be used on Kansas City's proposed streetcar system

The Kansas City city council approved about $2 million in spending on a proposed downtown streetcar line Thursday, declaring that enthusiasm has not been dampened by failure to get a $25 million federal grant.

The council oiled the wheels of a preliminary engineering study for the downtown streetcar system in the amount of $1,340.000.

Councilman Dick Davis introduced the ordinance transferring the funds with a brief pep talk.

Davis said it was "unfortunate" that federal officials decided to not participate in "the best TIGER grant application west of the Mississippi."  But, he said, "this council is moving forward, we're going to get that streetcar project built."

And the full council approved the appropriation.

The council also allocated $750,000 for the mass transportation fund, part of which will go toward planning for the proposed streetcar line.

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