Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Issues concerning Downtown as described by the Downtown Council. River to 31st Street, I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.
scooterj
Ambassador
Posts: 6020
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2003 1:30 pm
Location: Northmoor
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by scooterj »

enough wrote: i think this point came up months ago, but as the city continues to install the new illuminated street name signs on traffic signal mast arms, if you're a pedestrian walking against the flow of motorized traffic on a one-way street you won't see street name signs for the cross streets.
Yeah, it's frustrating tying to give directions to pedestrians who are walking against the one-way.  "Go about X blocks to Y street, you'll need to turn around and look up high to see the sign and know for sure..."
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33840
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCPowercat »

Wow...yeah never thought about that. Public works definately needs some alternative transportation voices.
http://downtownkcmo.blogspot.com

Tweeting live from Big 12 tournament @downtownkc
scooterj
Ambassador
Posts: 6020
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2003 1:30 pm
Location: Northmoor
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by scooterj »

What's irritating is that they took down the signs that were at pedestrian level at the same time they installed the new signs.   These old signs were on different poles.    So they actually went out of their way and spent more money to make things harder on pedestrians.

Someone should sic The Watchdog on it.  (I would but I've done it so many times for other things I'm sure they'd just roll their eyes and skip to the next email. :) )
User avatar
AllThingsKC
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 9352
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 10:57 am
Location: Kansas City, Missouri (Downtown)
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by AllThingsKC »

Here is some good news!  Just in time for the opening of the PAC.
KC is the way to be!
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33840
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCPowercat »

The next car or bus who damn near clips my heel as I finish crossing the intersection so they can turn right is going to get a dress shoe in their headlight.

In that note, you see me coming to cross, yet you try and cut your stop short at the sign to beat me across. Listen while its 12 degrees out, think you can give me the courtesy of going first or does Johnny dare have you in such hysterics you can't wait to get to work? 
http://downtownkcmo.blogspot.com

Tweeting live from Big 12 tournament @downtownkc
User avatar
smh
Supporter
Posts: 4306
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:40 pm
Location: Central Loop

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by smh »

KCPowercat wrote: The next car or bus who damn near clips my heel as I finish crossing the intersection so they can turn right is going to get a dress shoe in their headlight.

In that note, you see me coming to cross, yet you try and cut your stop short at the sign to beat me across. Listen while its 12 degrees out, think you can give me the courtesy of going first or does Johnny dare have you in such hysterics you can't wait to get to work? 
Ha! So true. In a similar vein: this morning I was walking from Downtown to RM and friendly person in an SUV stopped and asked if I needed a ride. I was speechless. I was suited-up appropriately for the walk--I was just baffled as to why you'd assume that someone walking--in the city--needed a ride. It alternately irritated me/cracked me up.
"It's only when you leave Kansas City do you realize truly how great a city it is. ... If you have to go away, go away for a while. You'll be back. And when you come back, bring your ideas and willingness to make Kansas City the best."- Sly James
moderne
Oak Tower
Oak Tower
Posts: 5496
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:50 pm
Location: Mount Hope

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by moderne »

I was somewhat surprised about the overpass announcement, it might seem that it would have been postponed in light of discussions about expanding Bartle over that area and the height and engineering impacts of that expansion.
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33840
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCPowercat »

True....I would guess the engineering firm would be given that as one of the requirements in their design.
http://downtownkcmo.blogspot.com

Tweeting live from Big 12 tournament @downtownkc
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18142
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by FangKC »

The Broadway Bridge is to be replaced with wider sidewalks--starting in May 2011 and finishing in September.

http://forum.kcrag.com/http://www.kcrag ... 65#p452565
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
KCMax
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 24051
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:31 pm
Location: The basement of a Ross Dress for Less
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCMax »

SAVE THE PLAZA - FROM ZOMBIES! Find out how at:

http://twitter.com/TheKCRag
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33840
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCPowercat »

The city works director cracks me up in this article:

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/01/29/26 ... p-the.html
?People shouldn?t have to always make requests,? Gagnon said.
Unless it's to get the actual walk signal right Dennis?
http://downtownkcmo.blogspot.com

Tweeting live from Big 12 tournament @downtownkc
User avatar
KCMax
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 24051
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:31 pm
Location: The basement of a Ross Dress for Less
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCMax »

Kansas City metro is among the top 20 most dangerous areas for walking
The group Transportation for America ranked the 52 largest metro areas in the country. They calculated a ?Pedestrian Danger Index? based on the average number of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people and the percent of people who walk to work.
The article says NYC is "surprisingly" the safest. That doesn't surprise me in the least. Why the heck would it be surprising?
SAVE THE PLAZA - FROM ZOMBIES! Find out how at:

http://twitter.com/TheKCRag
pash
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3800
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:47 am

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by pash »

.
Last edited by pash on Mon Jan 30, 2017 12:21 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
ContainsHotLiquid
Parking Garage
Parking Garage
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:36 am

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by ContainsHotLiquid »

In DC, Philly, and NY, the jobs aren't necessarily in walking distance of affordable places to live.
pash
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3800
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:47 am

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by pash »

.
Last edited by pash on Mon Jan 30, 2017 12:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by DaveKCMO »

KCMax wrote: The article says NYC is "surprisingly" the safest. That doesn't surprise me in the least. Why the heck would it be surprising?
NYC has had some very high profile pedestrian fatalities (trucks & cop cars smashing children/grannies on the sidewalk, etc). in KC it's more like pedestrians getting hit while simply crossing the street -- OMG what are they doing there! -- which ends up being fatal because of our high-speed arterials.
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33840
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCPowercat »

Cool video showing all (cars, bikes, walkers) have a role in making a safe intersection...

3-Way Street
http://downtownkcmo.blogspot.com

Tweeting live from Big 12 tournament @downtownkc
User avatar
slimwhitman
Western Auto Lofts
Western Auto Lofts
Posts: 502
Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 11:29 am

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by slimwhitman »

Even Goofy changes his demeanor when behind the wheel....
Motor Mania 1950
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by DaveKCMO »

public works has a new policy that requires a pedestrian walk signal appear automatically at all intersections, city-wide, unless they meet certain criteria. once the policy is made public, i'll post it.

there is also a new part of the development code that allows creation of a pedestrian overlay, which gives neighborhoods greater leeway in how such things are managed. no one has initiated an overlay yet, so i plan to make the crossroads the first.
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33840
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

Post by KCPowercat »

Woohooo
http://downtownkcmo.blogspot.com

Tweeting live from Big 12 tournament @downtownkc
Post Reply