OFFICIAL - Buck O'Neil Bridge

[grovester]

this was a legit question TLG. Do you find preserving this bridge a big plan? I feel this is just piecemeal (KC speciality) if it's just making this bridge into a park and not hooking it into a bigger plan.

I’m guess I’m confused how this isn’t a big plan. Because of the bridge’s location, it will tie into the river market, giving it an attraction on that west end. If the bridge is instead demolished, there will be nothing over there, since modot is destroying everything west of Broadway besides two buildings. On the other side of the river, I’d have to imagine it would lead to some sort of development in Harlem, with an improved connection into NKC. There’s already bicycling routes around the airport, so the pedestrianized bridge could tie into that somehow.

I’m just not sure where KCRAG’s hostility comes from on this project. The bridge exists, the work won’t be cheap but it’ll add something cool to the cityscape, which seems in line with this forum’s ethos. I mean it seems constant that people on here are like “how can a backwater like Omaha get cool things and KC can’t???”

I'm with you. The first response was "We can't afford it", but now it's supposed to be bigger?

[moderne]

The purple ped bridge in Cincinnati has festivals, fairs, and events. Can be rented as event space and popular wedding venue. How could the fact of the bridge in KC has an inclined road deck be overcome to make it usable space for more than strolling?

[TheLastGentleman]

Before:



Today:



Before:



And today:









This will be demolished



As will this



Only one building visible here will survive



Reminder that this is what's being built





It's not just the buildings being demolished that makes this project bad, it's that the streets themselves are being erased.

[Rabble]

I bought into the idea the new bridge would benefit the removal of the north loop. Now it's looking like nothing more than a way for JOCO and Northlanders to avoid an awkward stoplight at 6th and Broadway.

[Cratedigger]

Man I wish that new bridge looked better. This design does nothing for me

[normalthings]

Was told that pressure to build a better bridge fell off quickly.

[FangKC]

Name the bridge after a still-living senator and it would likely have gotten a better design.

[TheLastGentleman]

Was told that pressure to build a better bridge fell off quickly.

Probably has something to do with asking for anything less destructive being a totally hopeless effort against modot

[AlkaliAxel]

If we get the old/current Buck bridge revamped like we want, then I think we’ll probably stop giving a shit about the design of the new bridge lol.

[GRID]

I bought into the idea the new bridge would benefit the removal of the north loop. Now it's looking like nothing more than a way for JOCO and Northlanders to avoid an awkward stoplight at 6th and Broadway.

Been saying that from day one. I hate this project so much. The only saving grace is that maybe the old bridge will be repurposed.

Nobody on a pro urban development forum like this should be supportive of this project. But I have only said that 100 times. It's happening and the old bridge was nearly lost too, it still may be.

Nothing about this project enhances downtown KC. It's only turning 169 into a full blown freeway which is the last thing downtown KC needs.

And all that grass along all the new highway right of way which will only accumulate trash etc where there used to be gridded streets and buildings. I just don't get it.

[FangKC]

Once the bridge is done, homeless encampments will likely spring up under the overpasses.

[KCPowercat]

this was a legit question TLG. Do you find preserving this bridge a big plan? I feel this is just piecemeal (KC speciality) if it's just making this bridge into a park and not hooking it into a bigger plan.

I’m guess I’m confused how this isn’t a big plan. Because of the bridge’s location, it will tie into the river market, giving it an attraction on that west end. If the bridge is instead demolished, there will be nothing over there, since modot is destroying everything west of Broadway besides two buildings. On the other side of the river, I’d have to imagine it would lead to some sort of development in Harlem, with an improved connection into NKC.

I think this is what would make it a big plan for me. Right now if we just do the bridge it could easily just sit there alone and not connecting anything together which is like the whole point of a bridge.

There’s already bicycling routes around the airport, so the pedestrianized bridge could tie into that somehow.

But the new bridge will have the ability to do this, we demanded bike/ped on the new bridge.

I mean it seems constant that people on here are like “how can a backwater like Omaha get cool things and KC can’t???”

tbh that's just Grid.

[KCPowercat]

I bought into the idea the new bridge would benefit the removal of the north loop. Now it's looking like nothing more than a way for JOCO and Northlanders to avoid an awkward stoplight at 6th and Broadway.

Been saying that from day one. I hate this project so much. The only saving grace is that maybe the old bridge will be repurposed.

Nobody on a pro urban development forum like this should be supportive of this project. But I have only said that 100 times. It's happening and the old bridge was nearly lost too, it still may be.

Nothing about this project enhances downtown KC. It's only turning 169 into a full blown freeway which is the last thing downtown KC needs.

And all that grass along all the new highway right of way which will only accumulate trash etc where there used to be gridded streets and buildings. I just don't get it.

The ability to remove the north loop and bring 9 highway down to grade is well worth this bridge.

[TheLastGentleman]

The ability to remove the north loop and bring 9 highway down to grade is well worth this bridge.

Have we ever had confirmation that’s the case? At this point I can easily picture no further official discussion of north loop removal or highway 9 happening after the new bridge is finished. If you’ve seen anything on your end, please share it, cause I’m losing some faith

[KCPowercat]

That's what the official north loop study stated from my memory. Neither thing would be possible w/o the new bridge connecting better to 35. Am I misremembering that?

[KCPowercat]

https://www.marc2.org/Assets/Transporta ... 018_V5.pdf

The strategies contemplated by Beyond the Loop to address the North Loop issues generally focus on repurposing the highway infrastructure. Ultimately, the Beyond the Loop recommendations for the North Loop...Again, pursuit of any one of these strategies requires the design and construction of a new bridge.

[TheLastGentleman]

https://www.marc2.org/Assets/Transporta ... 018_V5.pdf

The strategies contemplated by Beyond the Loop to address the North Loop issues generally focus on repurposing the highway infrastructure. Ultimately, the Beyond the Loop recommendations for the North Loop...Again, pursuit of any one of these strategies requires the design and construction of a new bridge.

But is the current bridge project operating off that aspect of the study? Sure, the beyond the loop folks recommended it, but has modot confirmed they support it or have taken their advice? That’s my worry right now

[DaveKCMO]

If you missed the public discussion of the old bridge's reuse, it was recorded here:

Copy the link below to share this recording with viewers:
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/i7xF4 ... Zq_lbcbfh5
Passcode: 13sJ+yg&

[normalthings]

i'm really not buying into the save the bridge for $50 million train. I've walked the bridge countless times, the views are okay but nothing that you don't get from the River Market. The project is billed as an active park but KC has always failed at upkeep and activation. For the cost to save Broadway Bridge, we could build a new pedestrian bridge over the MO from the main part of River Market. Even better, we could build a dedicated Bike-Ped-Streetcar bridge to NKC.


This project is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

[KCPowercat]

https://www.marc2.org/Assets/Transporta ... 018_V5.pdf

The strategies contemplated by Beyond the Loop to address the North Loop issues generally focus on repurposing the highway infrastructure. Ultimately, the Beyond the Loop recommendations for the North Loop...Again, pursuit of any one of these strategies requires the design and construction of a new bridge.

But is the current bridge project operating off that aspect of the study? Sure, the beyond the loop folks recommended it, but has modot confirmed they support it or have taken their advice? That’s my worry right now

That link wasn't from the Beyond the Loop people though, it was supporting why we needed a new buck bridge.