Bond Bridge (formerly Paseo)

[moderne]

From the August RTA Newsletter:

    As part of its response, RTA contracted with Glatting Jackson, a nationally acclaimed transportation engineering and community planning firm based in Orlando, Fla., to undertake a technical analysis of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement to ensure its compliance the the National Environmental Policy Act(NEPA).  Glatting Jacksons's report identified several critical flaws in the Draft EIS including the auto oriented focus of the project, which led MoDOT to exclude transit and bicycle/pedestrian accommodations on the bridge.  Glatting Jackson also found that MoDOT failed to adequately account for adverse impacts of the project on neighborhood conditions in the Columbus Park area and the local street network.

[kard]

"Auto oriented focus of the project" is a critical flaw!  Yay!

Nice catch.  Thanks.

[MidWestSider]

If money was no object, I'd love to see KC's own "big dig," to completely bury the downtown expressways.

bahua wanna take that back?  and u even said bury! : ))

[Tosspot]

Why are traffic engineers so fucking stupid?

[kard]

Nice article today about the push for bike/ped lanes.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 370710.htm

Crossing into the future?
Many want the new Paseo Bridge to have a separate lane for bicycles, pedestrians.
By BRAD COOPER
The Kansas City Star

The new Paseo Bridge is planned to last into the next century. But local critics say it’s being planned with the last century in mind.

With gas prices soaring and global warming in the headlines, cyclists and other civic interests say the new Missouri River crossing should be about more than just the car.

They have flooded the Missouri highway department with hundreds of letters pleading for a separate lane for bikes and pedestrians on the Paseo Bridge, which could be replaced with twin bridges or a single structure.

[BVC]

This bridge needs to be built with expansion of not only autos in mind but light rail, bike lanes, and pedestrian lanes.  Anything else would be completely ridiculous and a waste of resources.  Keep flooding MoronDOT with letters...

[GRID]

From MoDOT...


It’s “Go Timeâ€

[ddw334umkc]

That's great news!  It's good to see MoDot exercise a sence of urgency in starting the 35-29 project.  If only we can get them to focus on outdated freeways in other parts of the metro, we'd be in good shape!

My only question is this: since MoDot has opted to go ahead with the "design/build" process, could they decidedly add more lanes and other emenities as the project progresses?

[ddw334umkc]

Okay, I've just read the EIS update on the website and it said,

The FEIS details the need for improvements, including insufficient shoulders, through capacity, and outdated designs for merging and exiting. The recommended alternative calls for the construction of six through lanes in the corridor, including additional capacity across the Missouri River.

"We worked very hard to be responsive to the input of the community, including introducing an approach that would build six through lanes now, but reserve the option for eight in the future," Wright said. "Our goal has been to create a safe and efficient interstate facility that meets the needs of the traveling public while minimizing impacts to businesses and residents that are near the corridor."


This means that they will construct the bridges extra-wide to be able to accomodate 4 lanes in the future.

[advocrat]

[quote="GRID"]
From MoDOT...

It’s “Go Timeâ€

[kard]

So, Grid (and everybody else),

How does Kansas City, it's leaders, the citizenry, the Metro, and posters on this board, get MoDot, the State and evryone having an interest to move forward towards a cohesive development that improves the roadway, provides for a nice link-up of the River Market, and build the new bridge w/ the light rail track and technology built into it instead of as an after-though retrofit?

Is this where the CIMO would take the lead?

I think we're past the point of asking for these things already.

[GRID]

I think we're past the point of asking for these things already.

Not really.

It's a design build.  Anything is still possible and changes can and will be made throughout the entire construction process.

Although I'm not the biggest modot supporter, I pretty much think they have no clue what they are doing most of the time and that the KC area gets shafted by StL and rural interests and just plain stupidity such as spending tens of millions to build the little blue expressway to nowhere while 70 in the metro area, which is the primary arterial on the MO side continues to deteriorate and overcrowd....They are "trying to listen" to the public.

Write them, email them, tell them you want a ped crossing, you want to incorporate light rail into the design, you want "real" improvement that will last a while and not have to be upgraded in ten years again, such as the new bridge only being six lanes wide because they are not fully upgrading the approaches.

Here is a great place to start:
http://www.modot.org/kansascity/contactus.htm

They should reply or forward any comments to the correct people and get back to you.

[knucklehead]

I would like to see Isle of Capri casino completly rebuilt as a much larger facility with a hotel. Something at least as large as Harrah's or Argosy. If possible, the casino should be relocated to the west side of the new bridge, so it isn't so isolated from the development area. 

Sure, anything they build will be schlock architeture, but they are committed to the river front and could serve as an anchor for development, at least providing a hotel and some resturants.

If (and I hope not) GSA goes to the river front, a large casino and GSA would be a start at developing the river front.

[kard]

Refresh Design / Build for me.  They loosely say "We want a bridge that meets these criteria" (ie - 8 lanes wide, goes from here to here, $250MM, etc).  Then builders go draw stuff and submit designs.  MoDOT picks one and says "Do it."  Where does the added flexability fit in that I thought I heard about?

[tat2kc]

they'd never consider light rail, especially since the city passed light rail on the HOA bridge.

[kard]

Only one bid?!

Paseo project attracts single bid
Missouri law requires at least two, so officials are weighing their options.
By BRAD COOPER
The Kansas City Star

The Paseo Bridge project hit a snag last week when the Missouri highway department couldn’t get enough designers and contractors to bid on the $245 million job.

Only one team showed interest in the project, which calls for rehabbing or replacing the Paseo Bridge and widening four miles of Interstate 29/35 from North Kansas City into the downtown loop.

MoDOT officials were disappointed in the lack of interest. State law requires that at least two teams compete.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 891067.htm

[LenexatoKCMO]

The Star is reporting that they came up with a PA firm to put in the second bid so they now have qouram to proceed with the selection process.  Hoping to break ground in '08 with '11 completion. 

[DaveKCMO]

so what was the final word on ped/bike access?

[LenexatoKCMO]

No mention in the article - since it is being managed on this new "design and build" plan, it doesn't even sound like they have decided the one bridge v two bridge and old bridge v. new bridge questions yet, let alone the issue of sidewalks. 

[DaveKCMO]

missed this not-at-all-surprising tidbit in collison's article monday:

Also at the EDC board meeting, Greg Williams, the city’s lobbyist in Jefferson City, said the proposed replacement of the Paseo Bridge already has a new name, the Christopher S. Bond Bridge, after Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri.

Bond helped obtain $54 million in federal funding for the new bridge in 2005 and said at the time he hoped that money, combined with the state’s $201.5 million, would pay for a “signature” crossing.

Now his wish is apparently being taken literally.

http://www.kansascity.com/business/colu ... 16970.html

how long will it take for kansas citians to start calling it the bond bridge after it's complete?