downtown loop rebuild

[flyingember]

Downtown KC has been in need for a better highway layout forever without adding new lanes. what it needs are better lane layouts. there isn't a single segment of highway that maintains lane position and the number of lanes anywhere in the loop. there's too many major weaving spots on it.

So how do you fix it? We don't want a massive structure above the city streets. we don't want tons more width taking out buildings. it needs to be simpler in multiple places. less options means less confusion

but how do you add less confusion without massive redesigns that tower over downtown?

how do you cut all the weaving and excessive lane changes?

there's some ramps that could be closed except they'd increase congestion elsewhere.

[smh]

Move the 35/70 interchange into the far West Bottoms (making it, really, the 35/670 interchange). Eliminate the north loop. Cap the south loop. Eliminate the west loop. Keep the east loop.

[flyingember]

Move the 35/70 interchange into the far West Bottoms (making it, really, the 35/670 interchange). Eliminate the north loop. Cap the south loop. Eliminate the west loop. Keep the east loop.

That's not horrible.

But you'd need more width on the south and east side to handle the increased traffic load.

you'd also send a lot of traffic coming down MO 9 and 169 onto city streets that wasn't before.

and you need to account for US 24

[Pork Chop]

Move the 35/70 interchange into the far West Bottoms (making it, really, the 35/670 interchange). Eliminate the north loop. Cap the south loop. Eliminate the west loop. Keep the east loop.

Exactly, now can that change or changes handle the capacity? If so, I agree the north loop for 70 going into KCK is totally strange design to me.

[smh]

I haven't thought much about how you handle 169, but 9 already dumps into the city. I imagine Broadway could handle the traffic as it already does so, and cars might actually move a bit faster without all the convoluted access roads and terribly designed ramps.

[flyingember]

I haven't thought much about how you handle 169, but 9 already dumps into the city. I imagine Broadway could handle the traffic as it already does so, and cars might actually move a bit faster without all the convoluted access roads and terribly designed ramps.

9 also dumps cars onto the interstate. it's a very popular route to take. this morning there were 5 cars in a row merging onto the highway there. the right lane on 9 is dedicated to these ramps.

Broadway in no world could handle the number of cars that turn right at 5th and go down I-35 SB or the number that turn left onto the interstate the other direction. that left turn lane backs up horribly every morning. it only doesn't now because of the closure.

[smh]

Perhaps the folks who need to go south on 35 could take 635 instead? Or come down 29 staying on the interstate.

[shinatoo]

make the whole downtown loop one way.

[loftguy]

make the whole downtown loop one way.

Hmmmmmmmmm................... hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

Is this brilliance, or am I tripping?

[shinatoo]

make the whole downtown loop one way.

Hmmmmmmmmm................... hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

Is this brilliance, or am I tripping?

Yes and Yes.

[flyingember]

make the whole downtown loop one way.

hmmm. with better ramp configurations to fill in the holes that could work.

[pash]

.

[smh]

This is an interesting idea, but it doesn't address the issue of the loop chopping up downtown.

[shinatoo]

This is an interesting idea, but it doesn't address the issue of the loop chopping up downtown.

Make it one way but on 435 and eliminate all interstates inside 435.

too far? OK.

[smh]

This is an interesting idea, but it doesn't address the issue of the loop chopping up downtown.

Make it one way but on 435 and eliminate all interstates inside 435.

too far? OK.

I'm sold.

[KCPowercat]

Have to cap the south loop....I'm not sure capping the north loop is ever feasible....have to eliminate about half of the ramps on the north loop. Build another river bridge shooting west of the Broadway bridge to handle traffic trying to go through downtown.

[voltopt]

Solved it.

[voltopt]

Blue is interstate highway. I am removing interstate from the north and west, moving I-35 to the west bluff, adding a divided parkway at the north side and a new approach ramp to Broadway from a trafficway extension from I-670 on the bluff.

[FangKC]

What will be done with the canyons that were created for the interstates once you removed the highways?

http://maps.google.com/?ll=39.098723,-9 ... 72,,0,2.59

[flyingember]

Blue is interstate highway. I am removing interstate from the north and west, moving I-35 to the west bluff, adding a divided parkway at the north side and a new approach ramp to Broadway from a trafficway extension from I-670 on the bluff.

How do you take away all the cars from those two sides without widening the highway on the other two sides? That would require taking more buildings.

What's the trick?