KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Plans are moving forward to turn main corridors cutting through Midtown Kansas City into safer and more efficient “complete streets.”
The Mid-America Regional Council and city of Kansas City will host a workshop tonight to gather public input on plans to improve the roads for drivers, walkers and bicyclists. This is the second, and final, time designers will collect feedback in a forum setting before making recommendations to the city. The team will launch an online survey after tonight’s meeting.
The meeting takes place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 11 E. 40th Street from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The plan focuses on Southwest Trafficway from 31st to 47th, Broadway Boulevard from 31st to 43rd, Wornall Road from 47th to 55th, 39th Street from Southwest Trafficway to The Paseo, and 43rd Street from Belleview Avenue to Oak Street.
The goal of transforming the roads into complete streets is to provide safe transportation options that eliminate conflict between different modes of transportation, thus improving efficiency.
Recommendations in the works include redesigning the Westport Triangle where Southwest Trafficway, Westport Road and 43rd Street all intersect. Other ideas include adding bike lanes and center turn lanes to many of the streets.
Designers say bike lanes can reduce the chances of a crash by 80 percent.
A grant is funding the study. Last year, Kansas City adopted an ordinance to provide guidelines on complete street development.
—
