Area of Influence
The project’s area of influence generally is bounded by Paseo Boulevard to the west, Swope Parkway to the east, Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the north, and East 85th Street to the south.
2 April 2026
Dear East Side Community Members,
We invite you and the East Side community to join us at Community Summit #4 to be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, from 5:30PM-7:30PM at St. James United Methodist Church (5540 Wayne Avenue) in Kansas City, Missouri. At this stage of the Reconnecting the East Side project, we are looking for community guidance and input on the draft recommendations for the US-71 corridor. We look forward to connecting with you and ask that you share the Community Summit #4 information through your networks.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2026
5:30 - 7:30 P.M.
St. James United Methodist Church
5540 Wayne Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64110
Can't make it to the Summit? View all Materials Online on April 7 and Share Your Feedback!
Since the Reconnecting the East Side project kicked off in March 2025, the project team has collected and analyzed thousands of feedback points from a diverse cross-section of residents, stakeholders, and organizations. Engagement methods have included online surveys, interactive mapping, neighborhood listening sessions, pop-up events, community summits, and targeted mini-summits. In total, feedback was gathered from hundreds of unique participants, with hundreds of detailed responses. The total number of feedback activities, individual comments, and words received and analyzed is considerable!
In addition, we have continued to make timely updates to the Project Website where members of the community can share their feedback and stay up-to-date on the project. We appreciate your ongoing participation in the project as we continue this important work together. Thank you for your commitment to Reconnecting the East Side!
The first phase of the project focuses two distinct Study Areas: Area of Influence and Area of Potential Effect.
The project’s area of influence generally is bounded by Paseo Boulevard to the west, Swope Parkway to the east, Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the north, and East 85th Street to the south.
The project’s area of potential effect generally follows US-71 between Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and East 85th Street, including a narrow buffer on either side of US-71 (roughly Prospect Avenue to South Benton Boulevard.) This area is intended to be wide enough (plus about 50 feet in either direction) to cover any potential improvement strategies and their potential construction limits.
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 |
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.
Stay involved and learn more about the Reconnecting the East Side project by signing up to receive updates about the project and upcoming events.