KCRag Forum

MoDOT and KCMO provided a preview of the upcoming environmental study for a new bridge. Besides the required "No Build" option, there are three that all provide bike/ped access and a direct connection to I-35. An online public meeting should launch next week.



The price range is $260 million for the West Alternative and $190 million for the Adjacent Alternative. Property, street grid, and ramp impacts vary. The maps they showed were too small and the room was too dark, but you'll see them soon!

And what was Dave's opinion?

grovester wrote: ↑Fri Aug 09, 2019 9:29 pm And what was Dave's opinion?

I'm going to need to see more details. The "Adjacent" Alternative doesn't actually have the "direct connection to I-35" that I thought (I was corrected this evening), so I guess I'd have to pick the West or Central alternatives, which I'm sure MoDOT will say they can't afford.

Yes, I was worried about the price tag spread leading to the wrong alternative.

Survey is linked from here

https://www.modot.org/buck-oneil-enviro ... ic-meeting

Pay attention, you can select multiple options in the survey for each question and it will make you fix this.

flyingember wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 1:53 pm Survey is linked from here

https://www.modot.org/buck-oneil-enviro ... ic-meeting

Pay attention, you can select multiple options in the survey for each question and it will make you fix this.

I wish that North Loop removal was being taken into consideration with this project and the east side interstate project.

I understand the desire to shut down N Loop but it's hard to imagine S Loop handling all the traffic from various freeways feeding into downtown, especially through traffic as KC metro and region grows. And a largest freight center in US that continues to grow.

Instead, how about removing N Loop ramps and turn N Loop into just a downtown bypass for through traffic. And if it can be funded, dig it a bit deeper and build over it. Maybe have one access that's for buses only - free buses hopefully someday!

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:25 pm I understand the desire to shut down N Loop but it's hard to imagine S Loop handling all the traffic from various freeways feeding into downtown, especially through traffic as KC metro and region grows. And a largest freight center in US that continues to grow.

Instead, how about removing N Loop ramps and turn N Loop into just a downtown bypass for through traffic. And if it can be funded, dig it a bit deeper and build over it. Maybe have one access that's for buses only - free buses hopefully someday!

I would be okay with that... MoDot should at least take a stab at a few "alternatives"

Traffic modeling says not a big impact. It gets shut down all the time for big wrecks and doesn't seem to be the end of the world?

That's for now, what about 10, 20+ years as region grows.

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:27 pm That's for now, what about 10, 20+ years.

My observation is that most of our distribution centers are being added along or outside of I435.

Highway removal should be about improving the lives of those living along the highway, not about adding 30 seconds to the commute of those living in far flung suburbs or truck drivers traveling the country.

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:27 pm That's for now, what about 10, 20+ years as region grows.

It considered future state. 2040 specifically. It's all at beyondtheloopkc.com

Ah thanks. Is a lot to go through. Does it show impact to S Loop with different assumptions of # of vehicles per day today, in 10 years, 20 years, etc? And factor increase in wait time to exits because now there would be fewer exits? Not clear where that study is.

The convergence of several freeways to just S Loop doesn't sound intuitively manageable but would give it benefit of doubt MODot thinks through this. If N Loop were turned into a no ramp bypass with development over it, would appease those of us wanting to contiguously tie RM back into CBD as well as take away any concerns of increasing auto traffic in future. Seems to be most ideal solution that should at least be studied as an alternative if not already.

Removing exits on North loop and is going to impact exit wait time the same right? I don't think removal of north loop exits would honestly change anything that much, they aren't heavily used now

Removing the N Loop exits would allow burying as a bypass and allow easier contiguous development between RM and CBD.

Right but it would also add the same load you were worried about to downtown exits right?

However less traffic to S Loop if N Loop still in use as a bypass. Getting rid of N Loop entirely doubles down traffic for S Loop long term. Just suggesting it should be studied as an alternative. Though if metro wide free bus can be pulled off....

If I recall, the additional time would be like 7 minutes at max.

If MODOT removes several exits along I670, we can mitigate this. i'm very annoyed that MODOT has taken all that BeyondTheLoop worked for and threw it in the shredder.

So much of the peak use slowdown comes from bad ramp access. For example, removing the backups onto Broadway from I-35 will help as many people go faster as the north loop removal would lead to going slower.

It would encourage more traffic to take 670 to 35 for example.

Related, theres plenty of capacity along Truman. Downtown is designed for traffic in the morning to come from the south so shifting the focus to that direction could work better.

That’s why looking at the total picture is important.

alejandro46 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:02 pmi'm very annoyed that MODOT has taken all that BeyondTheLoop worked for and threw it in the shredder.

Is BeyondTheLoop not involved in this?