KSHB 41 anchor/reporter Daniela Leon covers transportation-related issues in Kansas City. Share your story idea with Daniela.
—
The city of Parkville wants to bring traffic changes to downtown, but some are raising safety concerns about the city's proposal.
Last year, the Board of Aldermen voted to move forward with the Redefine Route 9 project, selecting Concept B as the preferred plan, which aims to improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians in the area.
According to city records, the preliminary layout plan creates wider sidewalks, safer street crossings and shorter crossing distances for pedestrians.
"Very popular area and a lot of pedestrians," said Leslie Sharp, who frequents Parkville.
Like other drivers, Sharp has to cut through downtown to access Route 9 and Highway FF, which leads to heavy delays during rush hour. The city anticipates delays to increase over the coming years because of new downtown businesses and upcoming developments set to come west of downtown.
"Change is stressful for us and also for the merchants downtown, so our goal is to make this as stress-free as possible," said Parkville Mayor Dean Katerndahl.
Key elements of Concept B include turning First Street into a pedestrian-only corridor, rebuilding the downtown triangle, and adding a new east–west connector road between Highway 9 and Highway FF. The new street would sit alongside the railroad tracks and feature wider sidewalks.
“They need to address the growth, but the direction that’s being proposed by putting a main road right through the train tracks is not going to make things better," said Thom Lancaster, who grew up in Parkville.
Lancaster's concern was echoed by KSHB 41 viewers during our recent Let's Talk event in Parkville. Many questioned pedestrian safety if a main road is next to railroad tracks, especially if drivers must cross to access a public parking lot.
"We've worked very closely with BNSF," Katerndahl said. "If they (railroad company) thought it was going to be dangerous, they wouldn't permit this, because they don't want any liability. So we feel that this is very safe."
During previous Board of Aldermen meetings, city leaders drew comparisons to old downtown Lenexa, where the intersection of Pflumm and Santa Fe Trail Drive sits alongside a railroad. In an email to KSHB 41, a Lenexa spokesperson said records show there have been no pedestrian or vehicle‑train crashes at that intersection in the past five years.
Parkville data, supported by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, shows there have been no crashes on the railroad tracks in the past three years.
Katerndahl says a pedestrian gate will be added to further protect people, and the city will also tackle noise and safety concerns from train horns, a complaint that’s been on the city’s agenda for more than 15 years.
A grant will fund “wayside horns,” which are significantly quieter than traditional train horns, while making the crossings at First Street and East Street safer, according to Katerndahl.
For city leaders, the project is about more than traffic flow — it’s an opportunity to position downtown for the next 150 years and address long‑standing accessibility and safety issues.
Many sidewalks in the area are not ADA‑compliant, leaving residents with disabilities unable to easily reach stores. The plan now includes adding ADA‑compliant parking spaces north of the railroad tracks.
"We had three goals to start this out: one was make downtown more pedestrian-friendly, two to make downtown even more of a destination than it already is, and three is traffic flow to and through the downtown," Katerndahl said.
Next month, there will be a work session to gather a more accurate estimate of project costs, but the mayor estimates the project will come in around $15 million.
Feedback continues to be gathered by the city, including community input on the design of the future pedestrian promenade.
—
