KC Streetcar marks 5 millionth ride

The Kansas City Streetcar this month provided its 5 millionth ride.

The streetcar service, which opened in May 2016, logs a daily ridership average of 5,806 passengers. Since the line opened, its vehicles have traveled 305,128 total miles, Kansas City Streetcar Authority (KCSA) officials said in a press release.

In July, the system logged its highest monthly ridership to date at 262,593 rides, marking a 31,000-ride increase over the same month last year.

In response to growing ridership, KCSA has ordered two more streetcar vehicles for the downtown route. Those units are slated to arrive in 2019.

Additionally, later this year, the authority will install streetcar shelters at the North Loop stops at 7th and Main streets in response to ridership in the area, KCSA officials said.

The authority also is planning a Main Street streetcar line extension to the University of Missouri-Kansas City.