Reconnecting Kansas City: Meetings begin to improve decades-long issues along 71 Highway
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - There is a new push to reconnect Kansas City following decades of division.
The first phase of a project to reconnect the east side of the city and mend the divide created by U.S. Highway 71 is underway. The City of Kansas City, Missouri Department of Transportation and the Mid-America Regional Council are the driving forces behind the effort.
The Area
It will focus on the area from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to 85th Street and paseo Boulevard to Swope Parkway.
The community, along with city and civic leaders, have said in the past that the highway cut off neighborhoods on the East Side from the rest of the city. That led to blight and other issues in those neighborhoods.
The two groups plan to focus on input from the people who live and work in the areas around the highway. They are interested in:
- Neighborhood and personal needs
- Pertinent issues
- Potential improvements to the corridor
Following public discussions the groups plan to combine ideas to develop a plan and environmental study on the area.
The Future
The study will consider how to best use and improve the land, housing, and green space in impacted area. It will also look at development that is needed, changes that could impact public health, and traffic safety.
Both MARC and MoDOT said the project is more than just roads. They said the effort seeks to address the divide created when crews built the highway. They said the goal is to create a safer, more equitable, and connected future for the East Side.
The Process
Community engagement starts March 22, with a community summit.
- Southeast High School
- Saturday, March 22
- 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
The first two phases of the project will be funded by a $5 million federal grant. Kansas City and MoDOT plan to add a combined $2.5 million to the project. It is expected to be completed in several phases over the next five years.
More information about the project can be found on the city’s website.
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