Freeway
Turning US-71 into a traditional freeway with overpasses, interchanges, fewer traffic signals, and more.
Reconnecting the East Side involves not only restoring key connections but also reviving economic, community, residential, civic, and spiritual connections. We are now reviewing initial alternatives and evaluation criteria.
Refine the Vision! Join us in this ongoing conversation at Community Summit #3
Community Summit #3 Engagement
How should we Refine the Vision of US-71?
Review the information below and share your ideas and feedback on the 🗨️COMMENT FORM
Initial Alternatives
Initial Alternatives
First proposed set of solutions, serving as a baseline from which later refinements are made.
Reconnecting the East Side community members have shared how they would like to Re-Imagine US-71.
These ideas are called “initial alternatives” and are described below, and generally, they involve:
- Freeway Alternatives: Turning US-71 into a traditional freeway with overpasses, interchanges, fewer traffic signals, and more.
- Parkway/Boulevard Alternatives: Transforming US-71 into a parkway/boulevard with traffic signals, bridges, and other improvements.
- Return-to-Grid Alternatives: Removing US-71 completely, and reconstructing the neighborhoods’ original street network.
Alternatives include enhancements such as pedestrian, bicycle, transit infrastructure, lighting, art, recreational features, overpasses, underpasses, and/or land bridges, as well as the development of attainable housing and locally owned businesses, that serve the needs of East Side neighborhoods.
Initial Alternatives: Closer Look
Details, Key Features, and Considerations for each of the three kinds of Initial Alternatives
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Parkway/Boulevard
Transforming US-71 into a parkway/boulevard with traffic signals, bridges, and other improvements.
Return-to-Grid
Removing US-71 completely, and reconstructing the neighborhoods’ original street network.
Initial Alternatives: Closer Look Download PDF
Traffic Volume Maps
Volume Comparison to 2050 No-Build
Note: Percent changes are ranges based on both northbound and southbound tracffic and based on both AM and PM peak periods.
Traffic Volume Maps Download PDF
Share Your Ideas
Please share Initial Alternatives feedback on the 🗨️COMMENT FORM
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria (Draft)
Which are most important to you?
Let us know which priorities are most important to you, that need to be considered for an improved US-71.
Project Needs
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Improve Safety
crash rates, fatal and serious injuries
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Enhance East-West Multimodal and Connectivity
pedestrian, bicycle, vehicular, transit access
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Corridor Congestion
peak period travel times and level of service
Community Goals
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Economic Revitalization
land development, housing, etc.
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Public Health
walkability, noise and air pollution exposure
Environmental
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Social Environment
community impact, people or areas sensitive to pollutants or project-related stressors
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Built Environment
surrounding land use, parks, recreation, historic resources, and subsurface utilities
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Natural Environment
water resources and threatened and endangered species
Engineering
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Constructability and Design Complexity
roadway geometry, structures, phasing
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Estimated Construction and Associated Costs
high-level cost estimates
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System Resiliency and Maintenance
ability to improve transportation system redundancy, long-term maintenance considerations
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Systemwide Network Impacts
traffic diversion impacts to connected state and federal highway systems
Share Your Ideas
Please share Evaluation Criteria feedback on the 🗨️COMMENT FORM
Purpose and Need
Purpose and Need (Draft)
Purpose and Need for Reconnecting the East Side project on US-71 Corridor.
This foundation is critical for developing alternatives, justifying expenses, and ensuring a project addresses the correct problems in the community.
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Purpose of the Project
The purpose of the Reconnecting the East Side project is to address safety, multimodal access and mobility, and congestion challenges on the US-71 corridor.
Project Needs
- Improve safety: The US-71 Corridor crash rate is twice the statewide average and has a high number of fatal and serious injury crashes.
- Enhance multimodal access and mobility: The US-71 Corridor is a barrier for east-west multimodal access and mobility in the Study Area.
- Reduce congestion: The US-71 Corridor is congested during peak hours and impacts Study Area residents in multiple ways.
Additional Community Goals
- Address the existing effects of US-71 Highway on nearby properties and residents.
- Promote opportunities for economic development and affordable housing that builds on existing efforts and makes US-71 a neighborhood amenity and regional destination.
- Address public health issues.
- Implement feasible and cost-effective solutions.
- Develop strong partnerships with the local community so that corridor improvements reflect community priorities.
Share Your Ideas
Please share Purpose and Need feedback on the 🗨️COMMENT FORM
🗨️ COMMENT FORM
Comment Form
Share Your Ideas!
Share your ideas, feedback, comments or questions below. Please provide contact information to receive a response.
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Contact Us
Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:
| Name | Project Manager – Selina Zapata Bur, AICP |
|---|---|
| Phone | (816) 710-6385 |
| Contact@ReconnectEastSide.com | |
| Website | www.kcmo.gov |
| In writing | Mary Williams-Neal Community Center Office Hours: |
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Missouri Department of Transportation anticipates incorporating recommendations made as part of the PEL study into future NEPA studies, per Title 23 of the US Code, Part 168.
