Capping the Loop

Issues concerning Downtown as described by the Downtown Council. River to 31st Street, I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.
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AlkaliAxel
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Re: Capping the Loop

Post by AlkaliAxel »

Looking at the infrastructure bill, I'm not even sure we're gonna benefit a single bit from it. The money is going to repairing bridges and roads & broadband. We're already preparing bridge, and we don't need anymore roads. Broadband is for rurals. So essentially this would go to just fixing rural Missouri that's crumbling? Idk, I was hoping people who wrote the bill understood there is more to infrastructure than "bridge and road". We're not in *dire* need of either of that so what's the benefit here. I'm hoping someone can give me some cause for optimism.
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normalthings
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Re: Capping the Loop

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MO will get over $6 billion for highways if stimulus passes.
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Re: Capping the Loop

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The infrastructure bill in question is only including $1BLN for the discussed highway removal. The money is, to my understanding, narrowly focused on remediating infrastructure projects that disportionately affected minority and disadvantaged communities.

North Loop & S. Loop deck definitely need to happen, but I am not sure if there is as a compelling story that it impacted such communities, other than it impacted the entire city in a way by cutting out development downtown. I agree that East loop has a more compelling story, but it is not as feasible to cap/remove and has not been studied.

$1lbn is a far cry from the $20B that was invisioned. One of the most compelling highway removal proposals, the Clariborne Expressway in NOLA, would run $1lb by itself. There may be a better hope for KCMO if we have a good local match and the rest of the money makes it into a reconcilation bill.

I mean, looking out your window and seeing the grim concrete underside of this expressway would be absolutely horrendous. I was recently in NOLA and stayed right along the expressway; the neighborhoods have a ton of character and potential, but having this omnous, crumbling highway running over head definitely made the area less desireable.
https://goo.gl/maps/HPJKeji7YzK2h61Z9
https://www.cnu.org/highways-boulevards ... tures/2021
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DColeKC
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Re: Capping the Loop

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The 670 cap needs less than 40% of its total to come from the feds to be a lock. The other 60% of funding is essentially lined up and ready to go.
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normalthings
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Re: Capping the Loop

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Is that for ballroom to grand?
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AlkaliAxel
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Re: Capping the Loop

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DColeKC wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 8:58 am The 670 cap needs less than 40% of its total to come from the feds to be a lock. The other 60% of funding is essentially lined up and ready to go.
40% of the $119 mil they claim they need is only like $48 mil, right? If Cleaver and Blunt can't squeeze that little sliver out...
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DColeKC
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Re: Capping the Loop

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AlkaliAxel wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 1:08 pm
DColeKC wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 8:58 am The 670 cap needs less than 40% of its total to come from the feds to be a lock. The other 60% of funding is essentially lined up and ready to go.
40% of the $119 mil they claim they need is only like $48 mil, right? If Cleaver and Blunt can't squeeze that little sliver out...
Yes and I’m starting to get the feeling this project may break ground before 3L sees it’s first move in.
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normalthings
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Re: Capping the Loop

Post by normalthings »

DColeKC wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 10:50 am
AlkaliAxel wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 1:08 pm
DColeKC wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 8:58 am The 670 cap needs less than 40% of its total to come from the feds to be a lock. The other 60% of funding is essentially lined up and ready to go.
40% of the $119 mil they claim they need is only like $48 mil, right? If Cleaver and Blunt can't squeeze that little sliver out...
Yes and I’m starting to get the feeling this project may break ground before 3L sees it’s first move in.
I know 2 big projects are moving forward quickly. Wonder if this is one.
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Re: Capping the Loop

Post by dukuboy1 »

it would be really great if the capping project was able to secure the funds and get moving. It would have an awesome impact to really help benefit downtown & crossroads growth these past 10-15yrs and keep the momentum going. The plans and ideas for the Northside of the loop are exciting as well, Both really help create connected neighborhoods downtown and more of a destination feel, rather than unique islands surrounded by Interstates
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AlkaliAxel
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Re: Capping the Loop

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Senate passed the infrastructure bill that gives $1 billion towards highway/barrier removal for cities. It will become law soon.

There is a second bill making the rounds alter this Fall for $3.5 trillion in total and could have more money for this project. Biden admin initially wanted $20 bil so there's a fair chance that comes back in this second bill too.
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FangKC
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Re: Capping the Loop

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AlkaliAxel wrote: Wed Aug 11, 2021 1:30 pm Senate passed the infrastructure bill that gives $1 billion towards highway/barrier removal for cities. It will become law soon.

There is a second bill making the rounds alter this Fall for $3.5 trillion in total and could have more money for this project. Biden admin initially wanted $20 bil so there's a fair chance that comes back in this second bill too.
Overall, Missouri will get $7 billion in for roads and bridges if the House passes the Senate bill into law. Kansas $3 billion.

https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-08-05/in ... the-brakes

It may not become law soon though if the House doesn't pass it. There is no guarantee the House will pass the bill as is. Moderate House Democrats could sink it because they feel it's too big. Leftist Democrats could sink it because they think it's too small.
Last edited by FangKC on Wed Aug 11, 2021 7:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Capping the Loop

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Priority would be given to economically disadvantaged communities...
https://www.fastcompany.com/90665038/th ... not-enough
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FangKC
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Re: Capping the Loop

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DaveKCMO wrote: Wed Aug 11, 2021 6:59 pm
Priority would be given to economically disadvantaged communities...
https://www.fastcompany.com/90665038/th ... not-enough
It's not enough.
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AlkaliAxel
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Re: Capping the Loop

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There’s a good chance this gets a way bigger increase in the reconciliation bill. I still think there’s a chance KC gets money from the bipartisan bill too though because we’re asking for so much less than anyone who wants a full-bloated removal.
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normalthings
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Re: Capping the Loop

Post by normalthings »

There are a lot of moving pieces here. The new airport terminal will be done in plenty of time. Downtown can be improved, including with the long-discussed Park Deck over I-670 that would connect the Crossroads and Power & Light.

“We’re playing with multiple pieces on the board,” Cliff Illig said. “We’ve just got to move them around carefully, and make sure nobody ignores something important.”
From business journal article about World Cup
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AlkaliAxel
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Re: Capping the Loop

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There’s been a ton of smoke on the idea of getting the cap the latter half of this summer…there’s gotta be more going on with it behind the scenes than we know (I suspect)
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Re: Capping the Loop

Post by beautyfromashes »

AlkaliAxel wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:53 pm There’s been a ton of smoke on the idea of getting the cap the latter half of this summer…there’s gotta be more going on with it behind the scenes than we know (I suspect)
I think all the major players are just waiting for a leader of the project to step forward and say we're going to do it. Sometimes it feels the person that makes that bold leadership move is then responsible to contribute significantly to paying for the project. Hence, nothing happens.
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Re: Capping the Loop

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I'm with grid. We should go big on this loop idea. Cap the south, redesign the east and eliminate the North. This is the time to go big and do it right.
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normalthings
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Re: Capping the Loop

Post by normalthings »

beautyfromashes wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:58 pm
AlkaliAxel wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:53 pm There’s been a ton of smoke on the idea of getting the cap the latter half of this summer…there’s gotta be more going on with it behind the scenes than we know (I suspect)
I think all the major players are just waiting for a leader of the project to step forward and say we're going to do it. Sometimes it feels the person that makes that bold leadership move is then responsible to contribute significantly to paying for the project. Hence, nothing happens.
with $7 billion in funding for highways coming to MO alongside a $500 million annual MODOT funding increase, maybe the state can pay for this one.
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AlkaliAxel
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Re: Capping the Loop

Post by AlkaliAxel »

We could still get some funding from a reconciliation bill perhaps too. One way or another it seems like we have several options to get this cap now, especially if what DColeKC is saying is true
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