Informal query: Favorite street to drive on in KC area?

[MoNative34]

Waukomis Drive in the northland. -Has sort of a semi rural feeling to it. I remember an old country store, but don't know if its still there.

Tomahawk in East JoCo

That road that runs the perimeter of the old downtown airport. (Forgot the name)

Southwest Blvd

Armour Rd in downtown NKC

St. John in old NE

I like the fact that its relatively easy to get around KC. Rush hour is short. Where I'm at now, it starts at 3 and doesn't wind down until after 7!

[ProspectiveTransplant]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

You should explain why you like each street you mentioned. I'm especially curious about 175th St because I'm unfamiliar.

175th actually stretches out to Gardner, though I'm not as familiar with the route west of 169. It's fairly analogous to the K-10 stretch between Olathe and Lawrence at parts, though some of Olathe's southernmost subdivisions are beginning to creep down there. It's probably best known as the road where the strip club off 169 is located (though I've never been there ). It also has a fairly unusual speed limit of 50, which made for an enjoyable drive when I was student teaching at Spring Hill High a few years back.

The aforementioned stretch of Shawnee Mission Parkway was also up there for me, especially east of Lamar-ish. Every time I drive the stretch I feel guilt-tripped for never having stopped by the Shawnee Mission.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

I didn't think the everyday public could just drive onto FTL anymore. But I agree it's a neat place. Several years ago I went on a open house tour of the oldest, biggest officers' homes. Very historic.

You can't. But you can if your partner/spouse is military and has business on-base.

My fiance goes there fairly regularly to perform military funeral honors, and I can get on base if I'm with him with just my civilian ID, b/c I'm with him. I can't buy stuff at the commissary, though...he has to make the purchase.

[ProspectiveTransplant]

Heh... FTL. I had a job interview on base about a year ago, and learned the hard way that mapping software is useless in trying to find your way around. Neat area, though.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by pacificwhim

Cool thread. As a native Californian, I love to drive. And as a recent KC transplant, I've been wondering about nice drives. I'll have to try these.

If you want to drive outside of town, I've always liked the drive to Baldwin City (near Lawrence, KS)...you go by the historic site of the Battle of Blackjack, and there is a patch of tallgrass prairie preserve that has huge Conestoga wagon wales left over from the California and Oregon Trails during westward expansion. It's not too far out into the country, but it's very pretty, especially in the fall. I believe it's Highway 56, a two-lane. You can catch it in Olathe, or take I-35 to Gardner or Edgerton and catch it.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by ProspectiveTransplant

The aforementioned stretch of Shawnee Mission Parkway was also up there for me, especially east of Lamar-ish. Every time I drive the stretch I feel guilt-tripped for never having stopped by the Shawnee Mission.

I live right off this stretch of SMP. The historical site is cool.

[ProspectiveTransplant]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I also like approaching the Downtown skyline from US-71 northbound, Main Street northbound and US-169 southbound.

Good call on the skyline of US-71 northbound; off the top of my head I don't remember taking the other two routes (at least while consciously paying attention to that sort of thing).