Is downtown KC usually dead or busy?

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by s.davis

But it's not particularly spread out or non-dense as a metro. (I think the light traffic is more likely caused by overly-extensive highways and large arterial streets, but I'm no traffic engineer.)

That is right. While metro KC is spread out, it's not all that different that any other city midwest city. The urbanized footprint of KC is average.

The difference is the extensive highway system.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

I grew up on a farm 10 miles from the nearest (one-stoplight) town, and KC driving doesn't even faze me. It's truly the least difficult city in which to drive. Traffic is absurdly light, because it's so spread out and non-dense a metro. Parking is also the least problematic of any sizeable metro in which I have ever spent time.

The most dangerous driving encounters are often found in parking lots, and it isn't fun being a pedestrian in parking lots in most of KC either! In most other cities I have lived and visited drivers respect pedestrians much more overall. In KC that isn't the case.

[TabulaRasa]

For frame of reference, the majority of my Midwestern urban driving is in Chicago, which makes KC look practically like undeveloped wilderness.

At any rate, my only point is that there is really no reason to be intimidated by driving in KC.