Construction Continues Green Stormwater Project

November 10, 2009

Per a news release from the City

The City of Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department is reminding residents that work on the $1.2 million stormwater collection and conveyance project on Gardner Avenue just east of the Chouteau-Gardner intersection is in full-swing and lane closures around the area should be expected for the next several months.

Construction began in early October on the first of three phases anticipated along Gardner Avenue to reduce flooding. Future phases will improve the drainage to the west of this location.

The City’s contractor, Foley Company, will construct a storm drainage system consisting of area inlets, enclosed storm sewers, a vegetated detention basin, a vegetated open channel, and utility relocations. The vegetated channel or bio-swales will direct water into the detention basin which will reduce flooding and improve the quality of stormwater runoff.

This is among the first “green” stormwater projects constructed by the City.

Construction will also include an asphalt roadway overlay that will help maximize runoff captured, thereby helping maintain open lanes during high water events. Construction should be completed in May of 2010.

For more information, contact Colleen Doctorian, public information officer for the Water Services Department at (816) 513-0232.

Map of Gardner Ave and Chouteau

Comments Off | CD 1, Flood Control, Green Solutions, Stormwater, Water & Sewer | Permalink
Posted by kctransportation

North Indiana Ave Public Meeting

November 3, 2009

There will be a public meeting this evening (November 3rd) to discuss the North Indiana Avenue improvement project. The meeting will be at 6:30pm at Northland Neighborhoods Inc., at 3015 Vivion Road.

Per a city press release -

This meeting will provide information about the planned redesign of North Indiana Avenue from Northeast Vivion Road to the Gladstone city limits. The redesign will include replacement of the North Indiana Bridge south of Northeast 55th Street.

Staff from the City’s Capital Improvements Management Office, a division of the City Manager’s Office, and engineers from Kansas City-based engineering firm Walter P. Moore Associates will be at the event to present and answer questions.

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Wyandotte to Become Two-Way Street

October 21, 2009

Currently, Wyandotte St from 6th St to 12th St is one way, but will become a two way street on Saturday October 24th. The conversion should be complete by 3pm on Saturday.

They transition is being made to improve traffic flow in the City’s central business district, states a press release from City Hall.

Click here to sign up to receive City Hall Press Releases.

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Line Creek Trail Update

October 13, 2009

A portion of the Line Creek Trail, a pedestrian and bike trail following Line Creek, is beginning to take shape. Construction began on a section of the trail from NW 68th Street to NW Platte Brooke Drive on September 14, 2009. The trail is part of a larger trails plan throughout the Kansas City Metro area. Click to download the entire Trails KC Plan

Click the map to download a larger map of proposed trails in the Northland.

The following are the main construction items (click to download more details) for this section of trail and their percentage of completion.

Clearing – 100% complete
Grading – 85% complete
Low Water Crossing – 100% complete
Concrete Paving – 0% complete
Pedestrian Bridge– 0% complete

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Posted by kctransportation

N. Amity Project Update

October 6, 2009

Construction to widen the east side of N. Amity south of Tiffany Springs Road began on September 15th. As of September 30th, the project was 100% cleared and 95% of grading was complete. A drawing

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Route 169 between I-29 and Englewood Road

October 6, 2009

Per a press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation:

CLAY COUNTY, MO – The Missouri Department of Transportation is adding an auxiliary lane on Route 169 between I-29 and Englewood Road to provide a smoother route while increasing capacity. Work is under way and is expected to be complete by December 15, weather permitting.

Motorists driving on northbound Route 169 should expect delays through the area, as crews have closed the right shoulder, limiting the lane widths through the work zone. Crews have set barrier to begin work on the additional lane that will run from I-29 to Englewood. The additional lane, or auxiliary lane, will serve as an exit-only lane from northbound Route 169 to Englewood, which will also allow traffic from I-29 exiting onto Route 169 more time to merge into the mainline traffic. This additional lane will increase capacity, improve mobility and reduce delays through this high-traffic area.

In addition to the auxiliary lane, crews will resurface northbound Route 169 through the same area, creating a smoother road for motorists. As construction continues, crews will move the lane closure to the left lane to finish resurfacing work. All lanes will be open to traffic by December 15, weather permitting.

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Posted by kctransportation

Tiffany Springs Road Project Update

October 6, 2009

Hunt Midwest has provided another update on the progress of Tiffany Springs Road. The full update can be seen here. Clearing, grading, water lines, storm sewers, and curbs are complete. Paving is almost done, and street lights are next. The road should be open in late fall.

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Wastewater Spill in Blue River Tributary

September 29, 2009

Per a city press release:

Residents advised about wastewater spill in Blue River tributary

The City of Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources report that a sewer line break at 9668 Marion Ridge discharged an estimated three million gallons of wastewater into an unnamed tributary of the Blue River near Interstate 435 and Bannister Road. The City’s drinking water supply is not affected by this break.

Two breaks were found in this area, one at 9668 Marion Ridge and one at 10234 Marion Park Drive. The break at 9668 Marion Ridge was repaired on Friday, Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m. and the one at 10234 Marion Park Drive was repaired on Monday, Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Approximately 2 miles on the unnamed tributary and 1 mile of Blue River through Swope Park have been impacted by the discharge.

Residents should not use the tributary or the Blue River above 87th Street for recreational uses until the spill can be cleaned up and completed laboratory tests results indicate the water body meets acceptable water quality standards. Water Services personnel currently are onsite cleaning up and collecting water samples.

The City also has notified downstream users of the stream and is working cooperatively with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to mitigate the impact of this discharge. The Water Services Department will continue to collect samples and report results as soon as they become available. A media alert will be issued when recreational uses on this segment of the Blue River and its unnamed tributary may resume.

The Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department maintains and operates water collection, processing and distribution systems, stormwater management and control systems, and waste water collection and processing systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City region. Operation is funded entirely by fees charged to customers based on their use of products and services, not by taxes.

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Posted by kctransportation

I-70 and Manchester Repairs & Closures this Weekend

September 24, 2009

The MO Department of Transportation is alerting motorists to construction this weekend. The release is below.

I-70 Repairs at Manchester to Close Lanes, Ramps This Weekend

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Urgent pavement repairs will restrict westbound I-70 at the Manchester Bridge to one laneand close the ramps at westbound I-70 and Manchester Trafficway this weekend.

In addition, the northbound and southbound I-435 ramps to westbound I-70 will be forced to exit at Manchester Trafficway and detoured to westbound Route 40, then to the ramp back to westbound I-70. The restrictions and closure will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, September 25 to allow crews to repair cracked pavement on the bridge deck surface while weather remains mild. Barricades and electronic message boards will help direct traffic during the detour.

All lanes and ramps at I-70, I-435 and Manchester will re-open by 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28.

For more information about other MoDOT projects, please visit MoDOT’s Website at www.modot.mo.gov/kansascity.

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Kansas City, Regional Partners Submit TIGER Grant Application

September 17, 2009

Earlier this week, Kansas City, in partnership with several other local entities, submitted its TIGER grant application. This unprecedented, bi-state regional application contains $87 million in multi-modal transportation improvements.

The City partnered with the following organizations to submit the application.

Mid-America Regional Council

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority

Port Authority of Kansas City, MO

Kansas City Terminal Railway Company

Johnson County, KS

Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, KS

We’ve written about the components of the grant application several times previously, and links to those posts are below.

The final application consists of bicycle, freight, pedestrian, roadway, and transit improvements. The application addresses Metropolitan Mobility & Access to Opportunity, as well as Freight Mobility & Economic Competitiveness. As expressed in the application:

The Kansas City Regional TIGER Application aims to promote regionwide economic prosperity by improving and enhancing the core transportation systems necessary to drive local, regional and national success. This regional initiative attempts to achieve these outcomes through two related, system-based approaches: one a national model of urban reinvestment promoting multimodal access to opportunity, and a second equally important approach focused on national freight mobility and economic competitiveness. Together, in the spirit of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the TIGER program, these strategies will improve the movement of people and goods in the pursuit of a sustainable, economically prosperous regional and national future.

The application will result in several long-term outcomes and benefits to the region if the projects are funded, including:

State of Good Repair: Rehabilitates infrastructure in 150 block Green Impact Zone, along major regional transit lines, and on one of the nation’s priority freight corridors.
Economic Competitiveness: Expands multimodal access to regional employment destinations and major centers of opportunity. Ensures continued movement of freight with greater efficiency.
Livability: Constructs 55 miles of bike lanes, 19 miles of shared use trails, 135 miles of signed bike routes, three transit centers, and dozens of transit enhancements along major urban corridors.
Sustainability: Reduces 24 million vehicle miles traveled annually and approximately 68,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, improves air quality, and reduces dependence on foreign oil.
Safety: Reduces over 100 crashes, two fatalities, and $13 million in crash-related costs annually.
Job Creation & Economic Stimulus: Creates 3,719 construction jobs and $242 million in gross domestic product nationally and an estimated 2,455 long-term jobs regionally.
Innovation: Leverages green technology, green construction methodology and public-private partnerships.
Regional Partnership: Includes two states, three transit providers, seven cities, and private business as regional partners. This application has the support of its seven primary partners and more than 30 public and private agencies and offices in the region.