There's not a sign yet at the future Berkley Riverfront streetcar stop. Or benches. And one side of the track still has a construction fence up, separating it from people walking along the river.
Even so, dozens of people gathered at the site last week in celebration.
“We're making great progress on construction,” Kansas City Streetcar Authority Executive Director Tom Gerend said to the crowd, most of whom worked on the project. “This is a huge milestone.”
Gerend gave a similar speech a few months ago, about seven miles south, outside the Country Club Plaza. That December event was a celebration of tracks being completed for the northbound Main Street expansion; the riverfront project hit that milestone this month.
It’s been three years since the KC Streetcar began construction on its extended lines — but those miles of orange cones decorating Kansas City streets won’t be gone just yet.
The southbound Main Street expansion is currently going through testing, despite hopes from residents that it might be ready this spring, while the Riverfront route is only about three-quarters complete.
There’s a big deadline looming: Streetcar officials promise that both expansions will be ready for passengers in time for the 2026 World Cup next summer.
Main Street extension
The Streetcar’s existing line runs from River Market to Union Station.
Since 2020, construction has taken over Main Street — first to upgrade utilities below ground, and then to expand tracks south by 3.5 miles, to 51st and Brookside Boulevard near the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
The continuous construction has caused some businesses years of grief, and even pushed some to relocate away from the chaos.
Effing Candle Co announced on Facebook last week that it closed its shop at 37th and Main, in part because of the road work. It’s relocating to Martini Corner, further north in midtown.
In the post, Effing Candle Co. said in-person sales dipped 40% from 2023 to 2024, and is down 70% since the beginning of this year.
Coffee shop and bakery Enchante closed at the end of March. Owner Heather White, who also owns Cheval and Tailleur on the same corner, told the Kansas City Star that the construction made their restaurant inaccessible for customers.
Other businesses along Main Street won’t have to deal with disruptions for much longer.
If everything goes as planned, the Streetcar Authority says the new line will be ready for passengers this fall, although the city has not given an official date yet. It will include 16 additional stops, including at the Plaza, Westport, and the WW1 Museum.
The first test checked there was enough clearance for the streetcar so it wouldn’t hit traffic signals, signs, or overhead platforms — which is why you may have seen streetcars slowly working their way down the tracks over the past few months.
The train control system, track switch, ride quality, and speed also need to pass inspection. During the final “pre-revenue” phase, operators are trained and prepared for service. The last step is completing the Federal Transit Administration and State Safety Oversight requirements.
“[We are] meeting monthly with our federal and state partners,” Gerend told KCUR. “To review progress and to make sure when we get to the end that we are ready to ride and we can open the system safely and reliably and sustain that service for years to come.”
While the Streetcar Authority conducts testing, construction crews are repaving Main Street between Linwood Boulevard and 49th Street.
Constant construction has been the reality for Bubble Wrapp, a toy store that opened at Westport Road and Main Street in 2022. The store's owner, who goes by Kitty, said she's excited for the line to open, and that dealing with the inconveniences has been worth it.
"You have to give something to get something," Kitty said. "And that's been my feeling with the streetcar."
Riverfront expansion
Meanwhile, work is ongoing for the 0.7-mile extension north from River Market to the Berkley Riverfront Park.
Construction on this leg began in March 2024. Still to be done is installing overhead power lines, building stations at the route’s stops, and landscaping.
Last Thursday, the Grand Boulevard Bridge reopened to traffic after in late February.
Taylor Ngo with the KC Streetcar Riverfront Extension Project estimates construction on this expansion will be done by the end of this year, but the line won’t be ready for passengers until 2026.
And like the Main Street expansion, this route will also need to pass federal and state inspections.
“Testing can be a little unpredictable timing wise,” Ngo said. “So that's why we keep it broad with that early 2026.”
🎉 Who spotted the OPEN Grand Blvd./Berkley Pkwy. bridge this morning? 👀
— KC Streetcar Riverfront Extension (@kcriverfront) April 25, 2025
Crews working on the @kcstreetcar Riverfront Extension reopened the bridge late last night—ahead of schedule!
A few things to keep in mind when using the bridge: (1/3) pic.twitter.com/JZXPASDjH8
The streetcar route will help establish an entertainment district at the Berkley Riverfront Plaza, which has undergone a significant transformation over the last few years. 2024 marked the opening of CPKC Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Current and the first sports stadium built specifically for a women’s team. But without the streetcar yet, transportation options for soccer fans are limited.
Elsewhere, the area is home to just a few buildings: a park, an apartment building with a nail salon and hotel, and a bar for dog owners.
Last month, the Current broke ground on a $1 billion neighborhood-creating project, which would include 429 multi-family homes, retail space, restaurants, a town square, and a promenade by the river.
Kansas City is also reviewing construction contracts for a biking and walking bridge to connect pedestrians from the River Market to Berkley Riverfront Park. It would run parallel to the Grand Street Bridge.
The $12 to 15 million project would be ready for the public sometime in 2026.
