KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Neighbors reached out to her following a previous story on the Safe Streets Plan, and voiced their concerns. She followed up with viewers who reached out for this story. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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An initiative in Overland Park wants neighbor feedback to make the streets safer, and is asking for public feedback. KSHB 41's Isabella Ledonne filed a report on the program launch, and it caught the attention of multiple Overland Park neighbors.
Residents on 87th Street emailed Ledonne sharing their concerns about speeding and previous requests to the city for solutions. She followed up with them on Thursday.
"You see people flying down the road and it's very concerning," neighbor Bryan Fugate said.
"It's frustrating that we have been asking for (solutions)," neighbor Elizabeth Johnson said.
Like most streets in Overland Park, there are plenty of walkers and bikers on 87th Street on a nice day, but for neighbors like 10-year-old Maya Solis, the intersection on 87th and Woodson Drive can be scary to cross.
"Me and my friend are thinking of making a meeting spot by the intersection," Solis said. "But no cars have a rule that they have to stop so they just kind of zoom by."
People who live nearby say they have been asking the city for at least two years to address the constant speeding.
"These stop signs get run all the time," Fugate said. "(Drivers) are coming over that hill and it's caused a few accidents — one that went into our neighbor's yard and one recently, about a week ago, that went into our yard."
Fugate explained he asked Overland Park to put in a four-way stop two years ago, but it got denied.
"With little kids, it's concerning to not let them be able to go on the sidewalk," Fugate said. "It's just not safe."
Johnson explained she sent a request to the city for a crosswalk in October 2024, and it was originally denied. She sent another request in June 2025, and she was told, following a city pedestrian study, that the sidewalks needed to be redone and new curbs put in for accessibility.
"I hadn't heard or seen anything happen since then, so we went ahead and reached out to you (KSHB 41 News)," Johnson said. "What we've really felt like with (the city) is that they are limiting their responses and not really reaching out.”
Johnson hopes with the launch of Overland Park Safe Streets, neighborhood kids will feel safer.
"We're hoping that they're looking at that as an opportunity to go ahead and find an opportunity to fix the issues that we have been asking about," Johnson said.
KSHB 41's Ledonne asked the City of Overland Park for an interview, but was told no one was available.
A city spokesperson responded to neighbors questions in an email, saying the city is working to install a curb ramp, but it doesn't necessarily mean there will be a crosswalk.
"We have received a few resident requests over the last few years for crosswalks to cross 87th Street at Woodson. Our maintenance team is working with a contractor to install a curb ramp this year to make the crossing area ADA-accessible. This involves cutting the curb and creating the concrete transition from the sidewalk to the street. Adding the curb ramp does not necessarily mean that a crosswalk will be installed. Our maintenance team is working with a contractor to install a curb ramp this year to make the crossing area ADA-accessible."
Neighbors can submit their feedback and concerns on OP Safe Streets until April 30.
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