Kansas City streetcar RFP draws interest

Efforts to establish a streetcar in Kansas City, Mo., has drawn interest from two companies, both of which filed expressed interest prior to the city's Nov. 21 deadline.

Omaha, Neb.-based HDR Inc. and San Francisco-based URS Corp. have submitted proposals, according to City Engineer Ralph Davis said. HDR already has worked with the city as a consultant on the streetcar project. The streetcar would run down Main Street from the River Market to Crown Center.

Kansas City will interview both candidates and view their proposals on Dec. 3, and may begin negotiations with the preferred bidder by Dec. 10, said Davis, who told local media, “This is a critical phase; we’re not going to see a lot of dramatic changes until we get through this final design phase.”

Ballots to approve a funding measure for the project, through a 1-cent sales tax and property assessments in Downtown, still must be counted and are due on Dec. 11, after the city expects to choose a preferred bidder for the estimated $100 million project.

Funding for the project in part has been provided by the Mid-America Regional Council Board of Directors ($17.7 million), as well as $16 million through federal Surface Transportation Program funding for vehicle purchasing and $1.7 million in Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ) funding.