KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The city of Kansas City, Missouri, wants the public's feedback on plans to improve Broadway Boulevard.
Planning documents show city officials want to make Broadway Boulevard safer from West 31st Street to West 43rd Street. The city proposed three design plans for the future of this area, and is leaving a public feedback survey open through July 16th at midnight. Those plans include reducing traffic lanes, adding bike lanes, changing parking directions, and more.
"Making it safer and slowing down traffic, because it moves very fast, and that contributes to a lot of the crashes that we see here," Laura Burkhalter, board chair for Midtown KC Now, said.
Data from the city shows that over the last decade, there were five fatal crashes, 33 serious injury crashes, and 415 minor injury crashes in this area. It also shows that the average number of fatal crashes is going up.
"People have changed their traffic patterns," Burkhalter said. "We have a streetcar coming on Main Street. So we need to make some changes on Broadway and adapt to some changes in our lifestyles."
Drew Barr, the general manager of Bunker on Broadway Boulevard, welcomes traffic calming, too.
"We do have some people who like to drive a little too fast down this corridor here," Barr said. "I feel like the slowed-down traffic is always a benefit, whether you're in your car, on foot, or on a bicycle."
Burkhalter said she hopes people remember the bigger picture.
"I think it's worth it, if it means everybody's gonna get home safe at night," Burkhalter said.
KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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