The Importance of Stormwater Management in Protecting New Infrastructure

Crews installing a track drain on Main Street near Westport Road.

Installing a drainage system is one of many tactics the KC Streetcar Constructors (KCSC) are using to protect the tracks for years to come. The goal of the drainage system currently being installed is to protect the track and other streetcar facilities from stormwater runoff damage. The drainage system not only protects the streetcar system on the Main Street Extension, but also protects other properties around the track from stormwater runoff damage.

Heavy rain could cause water to pool on the tracks, making travel impassible for the streetcar and forcing a temporary delay in service. To prevent this from happening in Kansas City, the Main Street Extension project is including track drains along the route that will help water to drain away from the tracks rather than pooling on the tracks.

Track drains are strategically placed along the alignment to ensure operations can continue during rain events, allowing stormwater runoff to drain from the tracks and into the underground storm sewer system. Along with keeping water out of critical areas, the track drains help reduce the amount of dirt that could enter such areas and cause the operations to halt. A total of 22 track drains will be installed on the Main Street Extension, with an additional four (4) drains installed at the Kite E. Singleton Maintenance Yard.

Along with track drains, new inlets are being installed in areas where additional drainage is needed. An inlet is a structure that directs stormwater into KC’s storm sewers. These stormwater inlets are placed so stormwater runs directly into them. During the Main Street Extension project, inlets along the alignment are being relocated or newly constructed to help mitigate stormwater concerns once the streetcar is operational.

A reinforced concrete box (RCB) was installed between 36th Street and 37th Street on Main Street to help with stormwater drainage.

During summer 2022, a large, 11-foot wide, 6-foot tall, and 300-foot-long storm sewer box, also known as a reinforced concrete box (RCB), was installed between 36th Street and 37th Street on Main Street. The RCB can drain a larger volume of water than a traditional pipe. This box can hold nearly 148,000 gallons of water at any given time.

Finally, the KC Streetcar Main Street Extension includes the addition of two green infrastructure sites to help with stormwater management - one at the intersection of Main Street and Memorial Drive and the other at the Midtown Annex Building on 38th Street. KCSC will share more about these green infrastructure sites in a future blog post.