U.S. 71 (3 stop) "Expressway"

[RicKC]

My biggest pet peeve with this city is our infamous 3 Stop Freeway. We are the only city in the country that has done this. I want to see some of us take some action to get City Hall's attention. The mayor wants 60,000 cars a day travelling on this thing with a major wait at lights.

I want to see the State of Missouri get rid of these stupid block lights on this 4 mile section of Bruce R. Watkins. If BRWD is to be the name then fine call it the BRW Expressway. Too many people have lost their lives.

Here is a letter that I received from Larry Frevert, Deputy Director of Public Works. I thought I'd share it with all of you. Notice that the medium was left open in order to eventually put the freeway through. Here's the letter:

Mr. Hicks, your note to the American Public Works Association regarding the Bruce R. Watkins Roadway has been referred to me. I sympathize with your concern about the traffic signals on Watkins Drive (U.S. Hwy 71) but I wanted to share some background with you that you may not know:

Originally planned as the South Midtown Freeway, this roadway was conceived as a "relief" for traffic that used I-435 and I-70 plus some of the arterial city streets as southward growth of KC occurred and was forecasted. Planning for the roadway dates back to the 1950's or 60's and right of way acquisition actually began in the early 1970's. A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the community proposed to be bisected by the roadway claiming that the state and the city were being discriminatory in the alignment of this highway through minority and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. As a part of the court settlement to allow this roadway to be built, it was agreed that parts of it would have freeway characteristics and part would have parkway characteristics. The latter would include more landscaping and beautification than are typically provided on state highways. Even with that agreement, the bisected community continued to allege discrimination and threatened to stop the project. (There is proof in other communities that this argument can and does stop highway projects of similar nature) At that time, then Mayor Cleaver stepped into the issue and proposed a compromise that certain intersections in the parkway section be signalized. It was felt this would give the bisected community an opportunity to pass more safely, either by car or on foot (there's been some fallacy to this due to the illegal pedestrian crossings that have resulted in accidents) and keep the community from being totally isolated from one side of the roadway to the other. Primarily due to Mayor Cleaver's ability to heal rifts in the community, was this project able to be completed.

As someone who started my career in traffic engineering, I sympathize with your contention. As someone who has learned more about the community and their feelings about the BRWD and how it divided neighbor from neighbor, I sympathize with their plight. Regardless of whether I believe the signals are justified or proper, I sincerely believe the BRWD would not exist today if that compromise hadn't been made. I consider the signals a compromise that better serves the traveling public than to have continued to have to use I-435 and I-70 or arterial city streets.

I have copied staff at MoDOT in case they would like to add anything
further to this discussion.

Larry Frevert
Deputy Director of Public Works
Kansas City, MO[/color]

[dangerboy]

Like Larry Fervert said, you have to understand the history of the road. If it wasn't for the signal compromise, the road wouldn't be there at all and you would be driving on city streets with stoplights all the way from Downtown to I-435.

Some day community sentiment might change, but until then the problem isn't the road. The problem is motorists who treat a parkway like an Interstate freeway when it isn't one.

[RicKC]

I am aware of the history of the road. I was aware of it long before this e mail. It just is one of the most stupid ideas Cleaver ever came up with. Have you seen the dozens of crosses that line the corners where the traffic signals are?

I even asked Mr. Fervert if they were going to post signs warning motorist about the upcoming lights. He thougt it a good idea, but do you see signs warning southbound motorists/ northbound motorists?

I support the Scout. I think it's about time. But who let this slide through? It amazes me that leaders think lights keep community. I would rather cross a bridge. Have you seen those bridges??? Amazingly beautiful.

[KC0KEK]

It's probably just a matter of time before the stops come out. It's like the casinos: accept the loss limit, boarding requirements, etc. to get them built, knowing that you can go back and eventually get the restrictions raised or eliminated. Same with BWD: do this or that to get it built, then go back and make the changes to get what you wanted in the first place.

[bahua]

But if they put in ramps, they might have to take out Git Yo Chicken and Fish.

But seriously, it would be nice to be able to cruise up the whole thing, even at 45 MPH, with no stoplights.

Saying stoplights add to community is like saying that having a convicted pedophile living downstairs from you adds diversity to the building.

[RicKC]

If my memory serves me correct one of the original arguments for lights was so that people traveling north and south would stop and shop. yeah right -- I'm going into Research Medical gift shop. I think there are only two businesses anywhere close to those lights at 55th, 59th, and Gregory.

Back East and out West it is known that you put an offramp -- people want to be near the entrance or exit of a major artery they don't want to be hinder people (the Long Beach Freeway in Los Angeles at Pasadena is the only exception that I can think of -- it has been stopped for years and most likely will never get built -- but when it does it won't have stupid lights).

[scooterj]

The first time I drove the completed BRWD out of downtown the backup of cars waiting at the first traffic light (55th Street?) was, and I am not kidding, more than 2 miles long.

One interesting thing to notice about this highway is that the signalized portion fans out to a much wider median with earthen ramps/cliffs in the middle of it at each end. It seems to have been built planned for the possibility that the community might one day change its mind, allowing the freeway to go down the middle and the existing lakes to become frontage roads like you see between 63rd and Meyer.

[RicKC]

Everytime I drive that route I say the same thing. We need to let "leaders" know that this needs to be corrected. Just imagine fans from the south trying to get to the new arena and have to stop at the lights.

What about the H&R Block employees stopping at all the lights too. Except hopefully most of them will live in the new high rises. Anyway, we need to get this fixed.

[bahua]

In the meantime, all those fans and Block employees can move into town, and take the bus to work.

[KCK]

In the meantime, all those fans and Block employees can move into town, and take the bus to work.

Ill take the bus to work when they move the BRT into KCK.

[trailerkid]

This roadway is a joke and needs to be converted into the urban freeway it was meant to be. The bridges and landscape around the roadway are very beautiful, but give us a high speed freeway from SKC to Downtown.

[KCN]

It's dangerous for motorists who travel it the first time and come to an unexpected stop light. I am one of the ones who treats it as an interstate, which is hard not to do when you've been on that highway since Joplin.

[ComandanteCero]

I can understand the community's concern about having their neighborhood divided. But if they thought 3 stop lights were going to keep things connected...that's pretty ridiculous. They screwed that neighborhood long ago with lights or no lights by making it what is. I agree they should just make a full expressway BUT they should do some rad pedestrian bridge landscaping along with that (as in not just a concrete steps-and-bridge) but actually make it organic, almost as if there had a been a green tree.flower covered hill and the expressway tunneled through it. Personally i think that would be the best compromise, build the expressway, but make somekind of innovative connection between both sides of the expressway (that would help balance the negative aspects of having a highway go through your neighborhood). It would cost money, but then again it would be an improvement for both sides of this compromise.

[dangerboy]

It would take millions of dollars to build ramps and overpasses at those intersections. The state isn't likely to come up with that money for a brand new road that was built to the city's specs.

[staubio]

Waaa, I have to stop 3 times! My life is so difficult. What a huge BLACK EYE for Kansas City! How dare the residents that WEREN'T displaced by this thing have a say in its design? Spend a couple million to save me 45 seconds, potentially.

No, those lights won't bring you into the neighborhood now -- but that expressway will be around for a long time. There is a good chance that someday the Prospect corridor might improve and these intersections could benefit the neighborhood.

Stop once or twice and enjoy the scenery.

[dangerboy]

Besides 3 lights are better than the 10-15 lights on Prospect, which used to be 71 Hwy.

[Beltonhawk]

Going to throw my two cents in on this topic as it's something I deal with daily.

Waaa, I have to stop 3 times! My life is so difficult. What a huge BLACK EYE for Kansas City! How dare the residents that WEREN'T displaced by this thing have a say in its design? Spend a couple million to save me 45 seconds, potentially.

Getting from Swope to South of 75th takes me roughly 10 minutes on average. Less if there's light traffic, more if there's a wreck...if there were no stoplights, it would take about 3 minutes.
7 minutes x 2 times a day, times 5 days a week, times 52 weeks a year = ~60 hours per year.

No, those lights won't bring you into the neighborhood now -- but that expressway will be around for a long time. There is a good chance that someday the Prospect corridor might improve and these intersections could benefit the neighborhood.

If there were overpasses over the current intersections, more people would use the highway. If there were something on Prospect that someone wanted to see, go to, etc., they would still be able to do that.

Stop once or twice and enjoy the scenery.

Trash littering the highway, jaywalkers, run-down houses and trashy businesses aren't my type of scenery.

When this section of the highway was built, its design allowed for overpasses to easily be added later, with the current 71 being on and off ramps/side roads. This will happen someday.

Add overpasses and you reduce accidents involving both pedestrians and vehicles, reduce pollution from idling cars, and add better access to downtown for people coming from the Southeast.

[dangerboy]

Getting from Swope to South of 75th takes me roughly 10 minutes on average. Less if there's light traffic, more if there's a wreck...if there were no stoplights, it would take about 3 minutes.
7 minutes x 2 times a day, times 5 days a week, times 52 weeks a year = ~60 hours per year.

If the new highway hadn't been built, how much time would it take you to drive from I-435 to Downtown on Prospect? 45 minutes?

[Beltonhawk]

If the new highway hadn't been built, how much time would it take you to drive from I-435 to Downtown on Prospect? 45 minutes?

No, if I were going downtown I'd go 435 to 70, or go Ward Parkway to SW Trfwy....either way, there would be fewer people in the area, and things would be even worse for those around Prospect. If they make 71 a true highway, more people will use it. If you provide safe, cleaned, desirable businesses in a decent, safe neighborhood, people will go to them.

My point isn't that 71 is worse than nothing, but it was done in a half-assed manner that is unsafe, frustrating, and polluting. They made overpasses for 63rd and some of the other streets in the area, and I'd all but guarantee that they'll do the same at the 3 intersections that are currently stoplights.

[bahua]

435 to my house, along State Line to 85th to Ward Parkway, to SW Trafficway, to I-35, to 12th, takes about twenty minutes. Thirty in traffic.

435 and State Line to my house, via 435, 71, 670, and 12th, takes about twenty minutes, or twenty five in traffic.