KCMO City Council approves start of construction on Roy Blunt Luminary Park

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council passed an ordinance Thursday that moves the Roy Blunt Luminary Park project forward.

Council members Nathan Willett, Lindsay French, Wes Rogers, Melissa Robinson, Crispin Rea, Eric Bunch, Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw and Mayor Quinton Lucas voted in favor of Ordinance No. 260718, passing it 8-4.

The ordinance authorizes the start of Phase 1 of construction on the urban park over Interstate 670’s south loop, and it secures city, state and federal funding.

The plan is to funnel some of I-670’s traffic through a tunnel and put Roy Blunt Luminary Park over it, linking the Crossroads Art District to the Central Business District.

Phase 1 work includes tunnel infrastructure, park construction, tunnel systems building, and roadway and infrastructure work.

It will “establish over 50% of the tunnel infrastructure and deliver one full public space at block one on the western edge near the Convention Center,” according to a press release from the Luminary Park project team.

The total funding for the park is nearly $200 million.

Read KSHB 41’s previous coverage:

• Downtown businesses anticipating Roy Blunt Luminary Park
• Kansas City, Missouri's Roy Blunt Luminary Park secures $5.1M for inclusive play
• Recently released renderings of Roy Blunt Luminary Park feature performance pavilion, play structures
• Kansas City's Roy Blunt Luminary Park to cost more, take more time to complete

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