KCRag Forum

Seeing Grand closed to vehicles for days at a time with ZERO pedestrian traffic, but suddenly remaining WIDE OPEN while hundreds of pedestrians walk IN the street throughout the entirety of the NFL draft is an absolutely hilarious example of the arbitrary hypocrisy and absurdity of the regular closures. The city and Cordish claim those daily closures are "for pedestrian safety". Obviously that's not the case.

I'm tired of this bullshit and the piss poor excuses for obstructing Grand.. not only during events but typically the day before and after events as well... and leaving the sidewalks littered with portable barricades when not in use. I don't think most realize how often these closures occur and how poor an image is presented. Cordish is abusing the privilege given to them to close the street. An open ended privilege that should NOT be extended to any private company without cause and certainly not indefinitely. This thread will serve as a log for my observations to hopefully provide some insight into the excessiveness of these closures.

4/29/23 - No road closure. Unused barricades haphazardly littering the sidewalks. NFL Draft and P&L parties ongoing. Heaviest foot traffic ever seen in the area. Thousands of people walking in all streets from 31st to River Market.

I mean any of us downtown have all seen it happen for years and experience it if we use any bus line but I appreciate the new found energy. Be the change!

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 10:30 am I mean any of us downtown have all seen it happen for years and experience it if we use any bus line but I appreciate the new found energy. Be the change!

It blows my mind how residents in the area literally have to negatively impact their lives to plan and travel around these days long closures.. when there's either zero pedestrians in the area, or the few that are out are using the crosswalks.. even with the street blocked off.

You would think that the city would focus on improving the experience of actual residents in the area. Not running them over.

Being able to drive up and down Grand these last few days has been surreal.

I can't believe the Cordish doesn't have to get a use permit approved by the City before closing any street in the District.

FangKC wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 4:30 pm I can't believe the Cordish doesn't have to get a use permit approved by the City before closing any street in the District.

I believe they do still get a permit. Ride KC now publishes when closures are happening although not sure it's a complete list

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 4:42 pm

FangKC wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 4:30 pm I can't believe the Cordish doesn't have to get a use permit approved by the City before closing any street in the District.

I believe they do still get a permit. Ride KC now publishes when closures are happening although not sure it's a complete list

It's something like an "open permit" -- they have to request it but it's nothing like you asking to close your street for something one time.

2023-05-08, 0530: Road closure. Barricades up. No traffic allowed. No T-Mobile Center events noted on their calendar. No persons, vehicles, or equipment present. Just frustrated commuters unable to use Grand.

Cordish might have to give up this privilege if they want to close Walnut or Baltimore for the south loop lid. You can't have all the things.

im2kull wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 11:21 am 2023-05-08, 0530: Road closure. Barricades up. No traffic allowed. No T-Mobile Center events noted on their calendar. No persons, vehicles, or equipment present. Just frustrated commuters unable to use Grand.

This is hands down my favorite thread on this entire site at this point. Keep doing the lords work here my friend!

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Tue May 09, 2023 12:35 pm

im2kull wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 11:21 am 2023-05-08, 0530: Road closure. Barricades up. No traffic allowed. No T-Mobile Center events noted on their calendar. No persons, vehicles, or equipment present. Just frustrated commuters unable to use Grand.

This is hands down my favorite thread on this entire site at this point. Keep doing the lords work here my friend!

Unfortunately I only stay downtown a couple of nights a week, and sometimes not for weeks. But literally every time I've been there for the last two years Grand has been blocked. Day, night, morning, event or not.. there's been no rhyme or reason. I'll start adding in when the next event at the arena is to my posts, because when it was blocked the other day (May there were no events noted for days prior and weeks after. May 4th, and 19th. And even then, nobody's in the streets causing any more concern on Grand than anywhere else during those events.

Both walnut and grand closed tonight. I guess because of Saving Abel and the Parisian DJ?

I wonder if Cordish just closes Grand to stop the irresponsible vehicle antics at night?

FangKC wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2023 9:41 pm I wonder if Cordish just closes Grand to stop the irresponsible vehicle antics at night?

I’m told yes.

Yeah that's exactly why they do it.

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 7:51 am Yeah that's exactly why they do it.

Not their responsibility, nor does it stop the antics in the intersection at Truman and Grand.. where the antics actually happen. Nobody was doing anything in front of the T-Mobile center.

Cratedigger wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2023 6:10 pm Both walnut and grand closed tonight. I guess because of Saving Abel and the Parisian DJ?

Came here to note the same closure. Except that it was closed at 5am Friday when I was there and again through 4am today when I left downtown. No idea beyond those hours. But I'm assuming it was shut down Thursday night and remains shut today, Saturday around noon. As excessive hours has been the norm for years.

Saving Abel and the DJ were in the P&L district. No reason to close Grand. No increase in pedestrian road traffic. What a terrible ted herring if that's their reasoning.

im2kull wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 11:09 am

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 7:51 am Yeah that's exactly why they do it.

Not their responsibility, nor does it stop the antics in the intersection at Truman and Grand.. where the antics actually happen. Nobody was doing anything in front of the T-Mobile center.

They absolutely did before they closed the road all the time. They don't want that image in front of their business, they care not if it's happening somewhere else.

Pico Rivera ordinance would penalize street takeover spectators, allow city to confiscate vehicles

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/aggres ... -vehicles/

My parents stayed at the ambassador for mother's day, so I spent more time around and walking to that area than normal.

It has a weird vibe when the streets are blocked off and there's nothing going on at TMobile. That whole walk home to the crossroads is strange on grand. That gas station is always sketchy at night.

Grand just is a very odd street the whole stretch.