Winter Weather Prep

The KC Streetcar team prepares for the winter weather

December 21, 2022

The KC Streetcar will operate with regular Wednesday hours of 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. unless conditions deteriorate and it is unsafe to operate. Once service concludes for the night, KC Streetcar crews will transition to streetcar vehicle preparation for cold weather service.

Starting Wednesday, December 21, KC Streetcar crews will:

• Treat all streetcar stops and platforms
• Prepare streetcar vehicles for Thursday service

KC Streetcar service is anticipated to start on time on Thursday morning at 6:00 a.m. with three-vehicle streetcar service. All streetcars in service will be equipped with heated pantographs. These pantographs allow for quick melting and removal of snow and ice from the overhead wires.

While we don’t anticipate the suspension of streetcar service, we will operate with extreme caution during this weather event, reducing speeds when needed and using caution when approaching intersections and crosswalks. If weather conditions become hazardous, streetcar service may be reduced to two streetcar vehicles to ensure the safety of our operators, riders, and traveling public.

A special note to property owners and businesses on the streetcar route: When removing snow from the sidewalk and/or property, please take care not to shovel the snow onto the streetcar tracks. Snow, especially packed snow, can interfere with streetcar operations. It is important to keep the tracks clear of snow and ice.

Main Street is a designated emergency snow route by the City of Kansas City, Missouri. When it snows, motorists are urged to park vehicles off-street when snow depths exceed two inches. Parking cars off-street helps City plows and KC Streetcar crews to better remove snow from the tracks and continue safe streetcar operations. 

If a vehicle must park on-street, the City requests the following parking practice:

• Do not park along the KC Streetcar Route designated an Emergency Snow Route (Main Street from 6th Street to Pershing Road)
• On streets that run north/south, park vehicles on the west side of the street
• On streets that run east/west, park vehicles on the north side of the street

To track snow plow progress or to report slick or missed streets, visit the City’s website.

Service information will be shared via text alerts by texting “streetcar” to 816.685.8541, posted on the KC Streetcar Twitter and Facebook, as well as posted on streetcar arrival signs at each streetcar stop.