These claims suddenly are a lot more relevant to the future of Kansas City, which lost 18,500 people south of the Missouri River in the 1990s, according to recent census figures. Development generated by light-rail will be expected to bring in more jobs and residents to slow that disappointing population trend or even turn it around. More private development will occur if red tape is cut at City Hall. For instance, developers might not be required to provide so much space for parking at new office buildings or shops, saving them lots of money. Light rail will lead to high-density housing construction along Troost and Prospect avenues, replacing dozens of commercial properties, many of them vacant.
Planners expect new stores to cluster near the stations.
Other cities such as Dallas, Denver and St. Louis have seen increased property values and increased development near their light-rail lines. Each of these arguments makes some sense, in theory. But whether they will work in the real world is not clear. Recent history suggests that economic-development predictions are iffy at best in Kansas City. The city's light-rail consultants obviously have spent time trying to figure out how light rail would affect future development.