KSHB 41 reporter Grant Stephens covers downtown Kansas City, Missouri. He also focuses on stories of consumer interest. Share your story idea with Grant.
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A viewer reached out to us with a question this week, wanting an update on the Rock Island Bridge project in Kansas City's West Bottoms. The complicated project has been delayed several times over several years, but developers say they're now waiting on paperwork before setting a concrete opening date.
Much of the heavy lifting is finished at the Rock Island Bridge. The large buildings have been erected, electrical and signage installed.
Some of the latest work has been on the path up to the bridge. That's key because it's part of getting an occupancy permit, which is one of the last things developers are waiting on before they set any more dates.
"I think it'll be great if it's done right," Steven Allen, who lives in KC, said.
"Well that's definitely delayed. I think due to funding," Shelley Nelson, another Kansas Citian said.
The bridge was originally supposed to open in summer 2023, then was pushed back to work on raising the bridge. At one point, Zeller says they did run out of money.
With those problems out of the way - work has continued.
"It has to be done right. It's it's not it's like anything if it's not done right it's not going to work," Allen said.
"But I haven't kept up on it, but I'm very supportive," Nelson said.
According to Mike Zeller, the man behind the idea, they've hit several roadblocks in the past. He says it's like building an airplane and taking off at the same time.
In a post last month, he said they're wrapping up.
"I think it makes sense that there were delays because you want the engineering to be perfect," Nelson said.
"That looks like a beautiful deal to me. I hope, I sincerely hope that it works," Allen said.
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