KCRag Forum

Site: https://www.downtownkc.org/hwy9/

Presentation: https://www.downtownkc.org/wp-content/u ... 20_Rev.pdf

Study lead by Downtown Council to bring MO-9 to grade, which was triggered by the O'Neil Bridge/North Loop conversation. It's now it's own project.

That's lovely.

Very much like the boulevard concept, I imagine significantly more expensive, but passionate and inspired design is what makes a city worth a damn and gives more of a ‘sense of place’ to the residents.

IMO we have enough boulevards in the city and even those the city has a hard time maintaining. Give me that east alignment with street trees and a ton of new revenue generating property to improve our existing parks & blvds.

horizons82 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:08 pm IMO we have enough boulevards in the city and even those the city has a hard time maintaining. Give me that east alignment with street trees and a ton of new revenue generating property to improve our existing parks & blvds.

I think that having 2 cross-traffic twice would make it much more difficult to cross. Kinda defeats the purpose of bringing it down to grade.

normalthings wrote: ↑Fri Oct 09, 2020 9:27 pm

horizons82 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:08 pm IMO we have enough boulevards in the city and even those the city has a hard time maintaining. Give me that east alignment with street trees and a ton of new revenue generating property to improve our existing parks & blvds.

I think that having 2 cross-traffic twice would make it much more difficult to cross. Kinda defeats the purpose of bringing it down to grade.

Agreed. Stop the boulevard obsession. We can't maintain the ones we have.

would love to be able to incorporate a design with a future commuter rail aspect of some kind. I think there would be a great Park & Ride opportunity for commuters from the Northland who work downtown to use that. As someone who drives into downtown from the Northland for work any options like that would be very appealing.

But this a great start and something needed. The fact we are looking at revamping what was done in the 1960's to better improve our bridges and re-connect neighborhoods is a good thing

dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:40 am would love to be able to incorporate a design with a future commuter rail aspect of some kind. I think there would be a great Park & Ride opportunity for commuters from the Northland who work downtown to use that. As someone who drives into downtown from the Northland for work any options like that would be very appealing.

But this a great start and something needed. The fact we are looking at revamping what was done in the 1960's to better improve our bridges and re-connect neighborhoods is a good thing

This would not be a great place to put a parking lot. The Isle of Capri park and ride streetcar idea might be something that would appeal to you instead.

Commuter rail had proposed coming into 3rd & grand via what is now the streetcar maintenance facility.
http://www.kcsmartmoves.org/pdf/jackson ... -DRAFT.pdf

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:24 pm

dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:40 am would love to be able to incorporate a design with a future commuter rail aspect of some kind. I think there would be a great Park & Ride opportunity for commuters from the Northland who work downtown to use that. As someone who drives into downtown from the Northland for work any options like that would be very appealing.

But this a great start and something needed. The fact we are looking at revamping what was done in the 1960's to better improve our bridges and re-connect neighborhoods is a good thing

This would not be a great place to put a parking lot. The Isle of Capri park and ride streetcar idea might be something that would appeal to you instead.

Commuter rail had proposed coming into 3rd & grand via what is now the streetcar maintenance facility.
http://www.kcsmartmoves.org/pdf/jackson ... -DRAFT.pdf

How about a city owned parking garage, south of 3rd between Locust and Cherry? Northlanders could drive right into it from the HOA and keep their cars off the Market streets. A well designed garage with retail at street level could be a huge asset for this area.

Anything is a win. Super excited for this to be a reality. How can we help support it?

I don't see the point of the divided boulevard for two blocks there, with what appears to be no way to drive from the River Market to Columbus Park at 3rd Street. We want to provide reconnections and not impose more barriers. I like the East Alignment Concept more. You can create a boulevard effect without a divided street by placing wider sidewalks on each side and planting two rows of street trees.

https://www.google.com/maps/@48.8712808 ... 8192?hl=en

Wider sidewalk with trees much more conducive to boulevard life than an island isolated by traffic lanes.

This is going to have endless cars throughout the day, much like Truman Rd.

I wouldn't call it a boulevard but even then the one without the giant planting makes more sense

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:24 pm

dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:40 am would love to be able to incorporate a design with a future commuter rail aspect of some kind. I think there would be a great Park & Ride opportunity for commuters from the Northland who work downtown to use that. As someone who drives into downtown from the Northland for work any options like that would be very appealing.

But this a great start and something needed. The fact we are looking at revamping what was done in the 1960's to better improve our bridges and re-connect neighborhoods is a good thing

This would not be a great place to put a parking lot. The Isle of Capri park and ride streetcar idea might be something that would appeal to you instead.

Commuter rail had proposed coming into 3rd & grand via what is now the streetcar maintenance facility.
http://www.kcsmartmoves.org/pdf/jackson ... -DRAFT.pdf

2012 draft on commuter rail....where has this gone since then? partially agreed with prior comment about at least thinking about integration but also agreed not right for the 9th project but maybe right for the adjacent I-70 ditch?

ToDactivist wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:30 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:24 pm

dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:40 am would love to be able to incorporate a design with a future commuter rail aspect of some kind. I think there would be a great Park & Ride opportunity for commuters from the Northland who work downtown to use that. As someone who drives into downtown from the Northland for work any options like that would be very appealing.

But this a great start and something needed. The fact we are looking at revamping what was done in the 1960's to better improve our bridges and re-connect neighborhoods is a good thing

This would not be a great place to put a parking lot. The Isle of Capri park and ride streetcar idea might be something that would appeal to you instead.

Commuter rail had proposed coming into 3rd & grand via what is now the streetcar maintenance facility.
http://www.kcsmartmoves.org/pdf/jackson ... -DRAFT.pdf

2012 draft on commuter rail....where has this gone since then? partially agreed with prior comment about at least thinking about integration but also agreed not right for the 9th project but maybe right for the adjacent I-70 ditch?

KC Southern would only support rail to Union Station. That was way too expensive. Jackson County Commuter Rail polled extremely well and an official election campaign was very close to being launched. County Executive went to prison (in 2016?).

Lots had changed since 2012 - hope to see Troy pick this up now that he’s at the county.

normalthings wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:38 pm

ToDactivist wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:30 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:24 pm
This would not be a great place to put a parking lot. The Isle of Capri park and ride streetcar idea might be something that would appeal to you instead.

Commuter rail had proposed coming into 3rd & grand via what is now the streetcar maintenance facility.
http://www.kcsmartmoves.org/pdf/jackson ... -DRAFT.pdf

2012 draft on commuter rail....where has this gone since then? partially agreed with prior comment about at least thinking about integration but also agreed not right for the 9th project but maybe right for the adjacent I-70 ditch?

KC Southern would only support rail to Union Station. That was way too expensive. Jackson County Commuter Rail polled extremely well and an official election campaign was very close to being launched. County Executive went to prison (in 2016?).

Lots had changed since 2012 - hope to see Troy pick this up now that he’s at the county.

Well prison can be an impediment to progress...Troy is interesting but silent lately, perhaps surveying the vibe at county? Personally I didnt think Union Station the right binder anyway but a good fallback. Also heard BNSF wouldn't allow it there. Unsure who owns tracks per your KCS comment. That leaves 670 or 70 ditches repurposed for spoked commuter rail albeit I have no idea how the rail gets there from E-W ingress points but grander things solved elsewhere worldwide. Overall KC (MARC, County, Regional Council) has to plan for an eventuality of post auto transit and before it gets really expensive i.e boring.

ToDactivist wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:33 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:38 pm

ToDactivist wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:30 pm

2012 draft on commuter rail....where has this gone since then? partially agreed with prior comment about at least thinking about integration but also agreed not right for the 9th project but maybe right for the adjacent I-70 ditch?

KC Southern would only support rail to Union Station. That was way too expensive. Jackson County Commuter Rail polled extremely well and an official election campaign was very close to being launched. County Executive went to prison (in 2016?).

Lots had changed since 2012 - hope to see Troy pick this up now that he’s at the county.

Well prison can be an impediment to progress...Troy is interesting but silent lately, perhaps surveying the vibe at county? Personally I didnt think Union Station the right binder anyway but a good fallback. Also heard BNSF wouldn't allow it there. Unsure who owns tracks per your KCS comment. That leaves 670 or 70 ditches repurposed for spoked commuter rail albeit I have no idea how the rail gets there from E-W ingress points but grander things solved elsewhere worldwide. Overall KC (MARC, County, Regional Council) has to plan for an eventuality of post auto transit and before it gets really expensive i.e boring.

The UP yard in NE KC closed down recently presenting a new opportunity 3rd Grand could be adjusted and still work. I70 ditch is an interesting proposal. A quick glance at google maps makes it look like you could travel from north loop along 35 down to the NE bottoms

Sorry my post was not more clear. I was thinking a commuter rail station in the Northland, park & ride located at the north end of Burlington where there is a lot of available space to make this happen. Just East, South East of Water Works would be a good spot. Then rail/street car route right down Burlington. Then tie into existing street car route. I get this really only benefits the Northland, and on a North South connection. But it’s one I think would be utilized & you could even apply some sort of fare for it, or a monthly parking fee for commuters to ride. Free on weekends, etc. just ideas. Not a true commuter rail that tries to deliver a solution for E/W along with N/S

My percent chance does anybody peg this project at happening at this point?

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 5:53 am My percent chance does anybody peg this project at happening at this point?

I would say pretty high actually. Maybe 75%? Funding is obviously a question. But the regulatory hurdles are significantly less than the north loop removal.