OFFICIAL - Buck O'Neil Bridge

[TheLastGentleman]

I think HOA at grade died when the report came out with a bunch of people not wanting it

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

[langosta]

I think HOA at grade died when the report came out with a bunch of people not wanting it

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

*Lost momentum and was put on a back burner to one day maybe get resurrected

[KCPowercat]

I think HOA at grade died when the report came out with a bunch of people not wanting it

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

*Lost momentum and was put on a back burner to one day maybe get resurrected

I couldn't find what i was remembering but there was a story from the downtown council somewhere that reported it was not a back burner thing.

[moderne]

Looks like the 35 south exit from 70 should be opening soon, it has been striped, street lights up, and signage. Should help alleviate some of the congestion on the east loop. The new south bound river bridge has most of the concrete poured. Probably will open on that side in spring or early summer.

[Highlander]

Looks like the 35 south exit from 70 should be opening soon, it has been striped, street lights up, and signage. Should help alleviate some of the congestion on the east loop. The new south bound river bridge has most of the concrete poured. Probably will open on that side in spring or early summer.

I ended up in KCK a few weeks ago not knowing that exit had been closed.

Tried to get back via Central only to find that bridge was closed too.

[Highlander]

I think HOA at grade died when the report came out with a bunch of people not wanting it

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

Who wouldn't want the HOA approach at grade level? It may briefly slow some commutes but it would be great to take out what is essentially a freeway through the city's most viable urban neighborhood.

[KC_Ari]

I think HOA at grade died when the report came out with a bunch of people not wanting it

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

Who wouldn't want the HOA approach at grade level? It may briefly slow some commutes but it would be great to take out what is essentially a freeway through the city's most viable urban neighborhood.

100% biased because it is my commute, but there should still be a bridge there or there will only be (Edit: Meant to say two) across the Missouri near downtown. Preferably at grade and with train tracks and significant traffic calming. Hopefully the Buck replacement takes most of the traffic heading to I35, etc. I wonder what it's estimated lifespan remaining is..

[Highlander]

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

Who wouldn't want the HOA approach at grade level? It may briefly slow some commutes but it would be great to take out what is essentially a freeway through the city's most viable urban neighborhood.

100% biased because it is my commute, but there should still be a bridge there or there will only be 3 across the Missouri near downtown. Preferably at grade and with train tracks and significant traffic calming. Hopefully the Buck replacement takes most of the traffic heading to I35, etc. I wonder what it's estimated lifespan remaining is..

By all means the bridge should remain but not sure why the approach needs to be a formidable wall that so abruptly puts an end to the River Market Neighborhood and isolates Columbus Park from downtown. It should be at grade level with simple on ramps onto the north loop rather than a space-consuming cloverleaf.

[TheLastGentleman]

Columbus park and the river market should be one cohesive neighborhood, as it once was. Imagine if there was an offramp bisecting the french quarter of NOLA? Nobody would stand it

[KCPowercat]

I think HOA at grade died when the report came out with a bunch of people not wanting it

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

Who wouldn't want the HOA approach at grade level? It may briefly slow some commutes but it would be great to take out what is essentially a freeway through the city's most viable urban neighborhood.

Ironically some in Columbus Park as backwards as that sounds. I remember when the results came out. they did had one semi-legit observation that they see all the trucks up on HOA now and don't want that going through the neighborhorhood. What they didn't understand is those trucks are using it 95% because of the highway connection that would be eliminated. Also there was talk of a no truck restriction across the bridge.

I in no way think it's dead though. Just gotta get the new buck bridge going first.

[Highlander]

If I’ve learned anything while on this site, “died” means basically nothing.

Who wouldn't want the HOA approach at grade level? It may briefly slow some commutes but it would be great to take out what is essentially a freeway through the city's most viable urban neighborhood.

Ironically some in Columbus Park as backwards as that sounds. I remember when the results came out. they did had one semi-legit observation that they see all the trucks up on HOA now and don't want that going through the neighborhorhood. What they didn't understand is those trucks are using it 95% because of the highway connection that would be eliminated. Also there was talk of a no truck restriction across the bridge.

I in no way think it's dead though. Just gotta get the new buck bridge going first.

Glad it's not dead. But the reasoning of the opposition seems nuts. Current residents and businesses in Columbus Park are almost all set back significantly from the HOA approach wall. Both sides of the HOA approach are well buffered by empty nothingness because the wall is a development killer. So the brunt of any remaining truck traffic would be felt by whatever infills the newly created viable space and not by current residents.

They should just look at google maps:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1101688 ... ?entry=ttu

[KCPowercat]

Yeah I mean they live there, you'd think they would figure it out. It's a weird neighborhood.

[TheLastGentleman]

Yeah I mean they live there, you'd think they would figure it out. It's a weird neighborhood.

I think it’s probably in the same vein as city market vendors being freaked out by the streetcar and buildings replacing parking. Could it be a big improvement? Sure, but in their minds there’s a huge unanswered “what if?” scenario where their business or property value somehow plummets from a specific change. Essentially, “I’m getting by fine now with things as is, so don’t mess with me.”

Making city improvements while managing this specific brand of nimbyism is going to be tough, and it’s part of the reason I think we need to stop thinking of downtown in terms of being a cluster of neighborhoods and more as being the core of the whole metro. “Neighborhood” in the US has come to mean “my little world” and I don’t think that is useful when deciding what’s best for the epicenter of the entire MSA.

But alas, thus is politics, is it not?

[moderne]

I would think that neighborhood opposition to changing the south HOA approach is that the truck traffic would become stop and go at Independence. The noise of braking and gearing down and then gearing up is worse than traffic speeding by. An example would be 71 Bruce Watkins between Brush Creek and 75th St.

[KCPowercat]

I would think that neighborhood opposition to changing the south HOA approach is that the truck traffic would become stop and go at Independence. The noise of braking and gearing down and then gearing up is worse than traffic speeding by. An example would be 71 Bruce Watkins between Brush Creek and 75th St.

I'm not picturing what you are describing. The trucks wouldn't be on HOA for the most part, they are only up there due to the access to/from 70 and that was going to be eliminated if I remember right?

[moderne]

I have not heard that access to I-70 from HOA would be eliminated? That would just end up with trucks exiting on some other loop exit and going through loop surface streets to get to HOA and NKC industrial areas adjoining Burlington.

[TheLastGentleman]

I have not heard that access to I-70 from HOA would be eliminated? That would just end up with trucks exiting on some other loop exit and going through loop surface streets to get to HOA and NKC industrial areas adjoining Burlington.

Or maybe they’ll get smart and just use the bond bridge? I’m not sure why HOA needs to be part of the interstate freeway system when we’re going to end up with two interstate bridges mere blocks from it (new buck bridge and the bond bridge)

[moderne]

The new Broadway bridge would be a roundabout way to get to the industrial areas along Burlington. Getting to Burlington from 35 for trucks is complicated since they cannot go down Armour. The other route from 35 runs across train tracks.
HOA is a state highway and MODOT is not going to limit trucks from a state highway.

[KCPowercat]

I have not heard that access to I-70 from HOA would be eliminated? That would just end up with trucks exiting on some other loop exit and going through loop surface streets to get to HOA and NKC industrial areas adjoining Burlington.

Final Concept section
https://www.downtownkc.org/wp-content/u ... educed.pdf

Trucks/highway connection traffic wouldn't want to use 9 anymore, they would go to Bond bridge or new Buck.

[moderne]

From the way I see the diagrams it shows what I said. Trucks will use other routes to get to the HOA. Still will be more direct than going around to Bond or new bridge. The most important thing is the reconnection of Independence Ave.