Should KC get rid of I-70 on north side of the downtown loop?

[kcbluesprings]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

I vote get rid of it. Take the Lewis and Clark viaduct out with it. Backfill the north loop, split it into city lots and sell them off.

OK...then what do we do with KCK? Love it or hate it, that route is still viable for traffic in and out of Downtown KCK, and a major commercial entryway into North Fairfax.

I completely understand why people hate it. We've chopped up Downtown KCMO ruthlessly with that loop, 670, I-35, and Bruce Watkins Dr., but I think that there's much more we can do down there before we get over eager and start ripping out concrete, especially if we're talking about doing it 30-40 years into the future.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by kcbluesprings

OK...then what do we do with KCK? Love it or hate it, that route is still viable for traffic in and out of Downtown KCK, and a major commercial entryway into North Fairfax.

I completely understand why people hate it. We've chopped up Downtown KCMO ruthlessly with that loop, 670, I-35, and Bruce Watkins Dr., but I think that there's much more we can do down there before we get over eager and start ripping out concrete, especially if we're talking about doing it 30-40 years into the future.

It's fine for there to be a viable route between North Fairfax and downtown KCMO. But does it have to be an interstate highway?

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by kcbluesprings

OK...then what do we do with KCK? Love it or hate it, that route is still viable for traffic in and out of Downtown KCK, and a major commercial entryway into North Fairfax.

I completely understand why people hate it. We've chopped up Downtown KCMO ruthlessly with that loop, 670, I-35, and Bruce Watkins Dr., but I think that there's much more we can do down there before we get over eager and start ripping out concrete, especially if we're talking about doing it 30-40 years into the future.

Make Fairfax Trafficway run to 670 where 70 is right now. Lewis and Clark viaduct makes little sense now and make even less without the north loop.

[kcbluesprings]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

Make Fairfax Trafficway run to 670 where 70 is right now. Lewis and Clark viaduct makes little sense now and make even less without the north loop.

Sorry, I meant to say, the south part of Fairfax. The north side crosses the river into Riverside.

Using 670 would be fine, except you would be creating a massive bottleneck from people coming from the northland who are coming into work and need to take I-70 west, or I-35 south. I drive a truck out of Front Street, and I take these roads most of the time to start my day. Traffic is slow enough as it is, with the loop intact. Imagine removing that road with no viable alternative, except take side streets. 670 would become a parking lot and there's no way to expand it. It's also a bottleneck on the north side during the late afternoon for people going back north.

Sorry, right now, I believe it's a marginally bad idea. Maybe in 30-40 years, if/when light rail becomes a viable part of our infrastructure and we can move thousands of people in and out of downtown without the need for an automobile, we can consider removing that section. My 2 cents.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by kcbluesprings

Sorry, right now, I believe it's a marginally bad idea. Maybe in 30-40 years, if/when light rail becomes a viable part of our infrastructure and we can move thousands of people in and out of downtown without the need for an automobile, we can consider removing that section. My 2 cents.

I didn't see this mentioned in the article, but they also have to be taking autonomous vehicles into account. After 2025 or so, every city will be looking for ways to reduce its lanes, not multiply them. AVs will not need nearly as much space to operate.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by rwiksell

Thought this might be the right time to bring back my fantasy map, which include the removal of that segment of highway, along with several others.

Bring Back Kersey Coates Drive!

I did a similar map of a rapid transit network for the metropolitan area back when I was in college, about 40 years ago.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Bring Back Kersey Coates Drive!

I did a similar map of a rapid transit network for the metropolitan area back when I was in college, about 40 years ago.

Whip it out!

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by rwiksell

Whip it out!

Wish I could.

But I think that hand-drawn map got tossed several moves ago.