Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

[trailerkid]

Guess we could just go back to horses and wagons, and thrown in dirt roads and wooden sidewalks while we are at it.

it surely wouldn't lead to the ecological and economic catastrophe we're facing now.

[chrizow]

it really is pretty incredible that walking, one of the most basic human (or relatively advanced animal) functions can actually be outlawed and subject to penalty. 

[aknowledgeableperson]

it surely wouldn't lead to the ecological and economic catastrophe we're facing now.

Don't know, just think of all of the horses*it that would be around.  And all of that wood for wagons.

[Highlander]

it really is pretty incredible that walking, one of the most basic human (or relatively advanced animal) functions can actually be outlawed and subject to penalty. 

Well, taking a dump is a pretty basic human (and animal) function but taking one on a busy downtown street is also likely to get you in trouble.  Doing it in a public toilet is perfectly acceptable.  Context is everything. 

[FangKC]

People forget that when we didn't have cars that cities were full of dirt roads that were filled with horse manure.

[LenexatoKCMO]

It bears mentioning that there are at least three distinctly  different flavors of jaywalking:
1) the "I am going to look both ways and time my crossing so that there is zero chance getting in the way of traffic";
2) the "I am not going to pay a lick of attention and cross wherever I want, risk be damned"; and finally
3) the "I am going to intentionally walk around in front of traffic to slow down those rich fuckers in their fancy cars".

#1 is a harmless, victimless crime as far as I am concerned, but I don't know how you would train officers to make the distinction. 

[voltopt]

I think the biggest problem with jaywalking isn't a handful of people in midtown walking in front of commuters as if they don't have a care.  The most dangerous thing is suburban pedestrians treating streets with on street parking like they are a surface lot at Hen House.  Pedestrians need to cross at crosswalks and intersections, and vehicles need to yield.  I know its not that simple, but one can dream.

One of my little pet peeves is when people walking around downtown cut corners off of blocks by walking diagonally across a surface lot.  I know there isn't a building there, but I think we lose some of our understanding of urban space, however denigrated by empty lots, when we ignore the present character of the streets.  This "softening" of our perception allows us to accept poorly conceived street design, such as Mill Street north of Westport Road or 22nd street near hospital hill, not to mention the Grand BLVD extension to Main Street from 27th south of crown center.

Respect the grid!

[chrizow]

Respect the grid!

[bobbyhawks]

One of my little pet peeves is when people walking around downtown cut corners off of blocks by walking diagonally across a surface lot. 

I think surface lots deserve to be trod upon as shortcuts.  If they want to keep peds from cutting through, they shouldn't have an entire city block devoted to uncovered, single level parking.

Speaking of respecting the grid, does anyone think KC, or at least downtown, could implement the coordinate system as with Salt Lake City?  It would make finding your way around super easy for tourists and suburbanites alike.

[KCMax]

Collison: When it comes to downtown security, forget the jaywalkers

Last week?s announcement that the Kansas City Police Department was assigning extra cops to crack down on jaywalkers and drivers who endanger pedestrians was almost comical ? if it wasn?t so sad when it comes to the type of policing that?s vital if downtown is to continue to rebound.

Try tackling the chronic problem of car break-ins and other property crimes instead.

[kcmetro]

Collison: When it comes to downtown security, forget the jaywalkers

But I thought downtown was as safe and secure as the suburbs!! 

[KCPowercat]

Car breakins are a problem everywhere. Don't be a tool.

[kcmetro]

Car breakins are a problem everywhere. Don't be a tool.

Actually, they aren't.  Sure, a car gets broken into every now and then in south JOCO, but not with the frequency that downtown apparently suffers from it...at least according to this article. 

[chrizow]

i'll take a 1/10,000 risk of my car being broken into on a given day, and live in midtown/downtown, over a 1/100,000 risk living in JoCo.   

BFD.  keep your car clean and no one will mess with it.  

[KCPowercat]

If all we have to worry about downtown is car breakins.....its a safe freaking downtown.

What a tool.  You are fooling yourself if you don't think car breakins are a problem everywhere.  Like chriz said, keep your car clean, you won't have a problem.

[kcmetro]

If all we have to worry about downtown is car breakins.....its a safe freaking downtown.

What a tool.   You are fooling yourself if you don't think car breakins are a problem everywhere.  Like chriz said, keep your car clean, you won't have a problem.

Hey, I was just reading the article.  I'm taking that guy's word for it.  He seems to have a finger on the pulse of downtown.

And btw, car break-ins aren't a problem everywhere.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Didn't our fair suburbs just experience a massive rash of car thievery this winter from dipshits thinking "car-break ins aren't a problem everywhere" and leaving their cars unlocked and running to warm up in their suburban driveway?

[chrizow]

and OP gyms were being targeted as well.

[KCPowercat]

No you weren't just reading the article....you had to throw some uneducated shot in there. Nowhere does he compare or even mention car theft problems anywhere else to draw any comparisons.

FYI according to the police blotted for opks, 5 stolen cars and 4 thefts and 5 criminal damage to property reported just yesterday. 

When downtown has the density of cars that it has sitting in garages all day from workers and others in the evening attending events, its a target rich environment. 

FYI in my years of car ownership, over half have been in urban environments.....yet 3 car related crimes all happened in the burbs. Just one man's experience.

[staubio]

FYI in my years of car ownership, over half have been in urban environments.....yet 3 car related crimes all happened in the burbs. Just one man's experience.

Same here. I've only had one car break-in, and it was in the suburbs. Completely anecdotal, sure, but whatever!