KCRag Forum

Earlier this evening I was on the Heart of America Bridge looking down directly above the path in Riverfront Park, and it occurred to me how near yet how far these two pathways are. So when I got home I routed out what the walk time is to get from where I was to the exact same spot 50-ish feet below (apart from the obvious route that would end with numerous broken bones).

The answer? Exactly 1 mile if taking the scary/dangerous Grand Viaduct, or a 53 minute walk taking the next-shortest route.

That's insane.

What needs to be done to install a set of stairs on the side of the HOA to connect these two important pathways?

There was talk at one time about an elevated streetcar station to connect the spur to a north extension. Phase 12 I think.

I still like the idea of a ped path on a bridge from Columbus park to the river market. Way better to connect to a neighborhoodand let everyone coming off the river crossing just go a couple blocks to the east and double back

With the new path to cliff drive it also would be more or less connected to that route too

For Your Entertainment:

"Getting Riverfront Rail Right" - includes discussion of elevated station that could tie directly into new residential development. I recall a discussion with the Port about this and they were lacking in imagination, so to speak.

http://urbanangle.net/getting-riverfront-rail-right/

smh wrote: ↑Fri Aug 03, 2018 1:24 pm For Your Entertainment:

"Getting Riverfront Rail Right" - includes discussion of elevated station that could tie directly into new residential development. I recall a discussion with the Port about this and they were lacking in imagination, so to speak.

http://urbanangle.net/getting-riverfront-rail-right/

Such a better idea than the current plan. Have to cater to all the apartments down in the park on PortKC land, the elevated station idea is too far away they say.

well if Isle of Capri ends up coming through, I like the current idea over the elevated..

It makes more sense to run the streetcar all the way to the Isle of Capri. Developers probably won't build denser mixed-use projects without the streetcar running right in front of their buildings. Restaurant operators might be willing to rent space on the riverfront if the streetcar brought traffic to their door--especially conventioneers and tourists from downtown hotels.

There is room to build a hotel at Isle of Capri, but I doubt it will happen unless the streetcar extends all the way to the casino area. A thing to consider is that Isle of Capri is the only casino in Jackson County, and it's the under-performing one. Three of the four Missouri metro casinos are north of the river. Clay County got two casinos. Jackson County got the one that generates the least revenue. Anything that would help Isle of Capri attract business would be beneficial. In addition, having a hotel would make the property more desirable to another casino operator if Isle of Capri would leave, or go out of business.

There is also no reason that one streetcar line couldn't run down Grand and end at Isle of Capri, and another line could cross the HOA bridge to North Kansas City.