| There may be no statistics on how many out-of-town visitors at Crown Center have stood, hands on hips, gazing across the seemingly impassable chasm of a rail yard, looking wistfully at the fun and excitement percolating through the Freight House and Crossroads districts. Unable to see a direct route, and not wanting to use a cab for what should be a short walk, the visitors may have gone back to gazing at the Crown Center waterfall or outdoor fountain. Not a bad thing for Crown Center, but probably not good for the visitor, or Kansas City. Today, most people know that a bridge—an appealing, 1892 railroad bridge—now provides a pedestrian walk over those tracks. Originally built near the Missouri River, the 137-ton bridge was moved in one piece to pro-vide a fascinating walkway that even features nice views of the skyline. The stroll from Crown Center, through Union Station and to the Freight House is worth the journey all by itself. The Freight House Bridge is also symbolic of an important Downtown Kansas City trend. In an age where complexity is hard to avoid, the bridge provides a simple, effective and imaginative solution to a problem that may become increasingly prevalent as Downtown Kansas City flourishes: getting from point A to B efficiently and, if at all possible, pleasantly. The question has a number of aspects that may seem trivial but combine for a notable issue. From suburban concertgoers to downtown workers, traveling around Kansas City’s urban core is both a challenge and an opportunity. Like the Freight House Bridge, the right answers will not only get you “from here to there,” they can enhance the experience. Bridging the Gap Such an advance has occur-red with the half-dozen new bridges over I-670, connecting the Downtown Loop with the adjacent Crossroads District. Although the dust is still settling, the new spans now include design features that make them more enjoyable for foot travelers and more appealing to motorists. Like the railroad bridge, the achievement was more than just slapping some wrought iron on a concrete bridge. The contractor, the city and even the Missouri Department of Transportation collaborated with local artists to provide distinctive railings that give the structures a whole new look. One bridge goes that one better. The Wyandotte Avenue span features a series of illuminated, decorative panels with laser-etched patterns on frosted Plexiglas. Like the old rail bridge, the view alone is worth the walk. Of course, being able to physically walk or drive isn’t helpful if you can’t find where you’re going, no matter how aesthetic the surroundings. One of the biggest challenges for out-of-town visitors, even if they’re just from Leawood or Liberty, can be finding where they’re going in a locale they haven’t frequented for several decades. While more work may be needed here, some important progress has been made. The biggest advance is the Wayfinding system, a series of nearly 600 artsy signs throughout the area that hopefully keep visitors from getting lost and even provide some information on where they might go. Several hundred signs first appeared three years ago, but the number nearly doubled as the city placed them in downtown districts, from 18th and Vine to the Country Club Plaza. Designed with a common appearance to make them recognizable, the signs include information about each district and its attractions. With the local district’s logo clearly visible, they should make it easy to know where you are and find where you’re going. Pedestrian signs with maps will also be located in parking garages. Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, or maybe that nothing is perfect, the signs have been met with at least one problem. The Westside, known for its outstanding restaurants and other attractions, did not get mentioned on the signs, an omission that is being looked into. Forest for the Trees It might seem a reach, but a streetscape project that continues downtown is also tying the area together. First began three years ago in the Library District, the streetscape effort includes pavers, decorative streetlights, landscaping, trees and benches. The most recent work is along Truman Road. The value of these projects is more than just softening the urban landscape. One goal is to establish a common de-sign thread that ties together different downtown districts and provides a more seamless experience for visitors and workers. One of the area’s newest connections doesn’t involve work at all. The River-front Heritage Trail is slowly adding a new dimension downtown and, with its potential as tourist attraction, an economic development aspect as well. The most visible section of the trail is a wide, concrete “sidewalk” parallel to the Missouri River in Richard Berkley Park. That stretch of trail is alone worth a visit to the park for its scenic, half-mile walk along the river in the shadow of the downtown skyline. However, the full trail is already much longer. A hiker or biker can saunter 10 miles, from Berkley Park, though the River Market, then to several down-town neighborhoods and parks. With funding available, a connector to Kansas City, Kansas and Kaw Point are scheduled for completion in 2008. Getting Serious Although foot and bikes are great, something weightier is needed for large numbers of tourists, visitors and business travelers downtown. But at least in Kansas City, there’s nothing “light” about the topic of light rail. Although metropolitan residents have more freeway miles per capita than just about any place on the planet, there’s been an interest in finding an alternative that wouldn’t die, and not just because of some expert from out of town. One of the groups concerned about mass transit is employers. Along with convention and visitor supporters, those who seek economical transportation for workers have consistently urged better mass transit, especially as gas presently hovers around $3 a gallon. Light rail is an answer increasingly used in cities nationwide, as well as providing easy transportation for out-of-towners who arrive car-less on an airplane. Voters last year approved a 27-mile, light-rail plan by Clay Chastain, but as of this writing, it appeared likely to be replaced. The replacement proposals are interesting. Targeting ideas that are affordable and practical within a lifetime, the two most recent strategies both focus on a starter line—basically a 10–12 mile section that would run from the Plaza, through downtown and into the southern edge of the Northland. If successful, it would spur feeder lines and extensions that could eventually serve the entire area. There are costs, of course. The price tags are generally around $500 million, but that’s about one-third of more ambitious plans. Probably best of all, these starter plans could be funded locally, without waiting on federal approval. Other questions will need to be answered. Backers of these plans are still explaining the difference between their proposed “modern trolley” and a true light rail. Several immediate criticisms came in relation to how, or even if, later feeder lines and extensions could be made. But the difference between now and even 2006 is huge. At that point, light rail of any kind appeared dead here, while now we may be witnessing an admittedly painful, but ultimately successful, birth. With luck, the answers will be on hand by the end of 2007. The Big Bridge Another transportation question may be more important, but until recently it received almost no public discussion: the replacement of the 50-year old Paseo Bridge. Missouri Department of Transportation officials have awarded the contract to replace the structure to the design/build team of Clarkson, Massman, Kiewit Western. The good news coming out of this announcement is that the old bridge will remain open while the new structure is being built, thus saving motorists from months of headaches and hassles, and area businesses from the potentially disastrous consequences of inaccessibilty. Also good news is the fact that the design of the new bridge is, quite simply, spectacular. The MoDOT has appropriately named the highway improvement and bridge replacement project KC-ICON. The new bridge will indeed become an instant regional icon. It’s difficult to over state the importance of this project. The Northland is the city of Kansas City’s fastest growing area, so the I-29/I-35 connector to this northern tier is critical. With only I-435 carrying similar traffic, the bridge is a key artery locally, regionally and even nationally. Because the approximately $245-million project will also rebuild key interchanges, local traffic will be impacted for years. Kansas City officials may need to examine another span as well. The Broadway Bridge is an important tie to the Northland and Kansas City International Airport. But at the foot of the bridge, lies the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, more a part of downtown than the Northland. With plans to enhance the facility’s executive aircraft and even build a destination restaurant, the bottleneck on Broadway may be an issue. Elephant in the Room Another highway question is potentially catastrophic. The Downtown free- way loop is a nearly half-century old road design that was probably questionable when first built. Today, with added traffic from the successful revival of downtown business and tourism, the system seems like an accident waiting to happen. Getting on and off the loop is still a problem. Designed in the 1950s and ‘60s, many of the exit ramps have no-where near adequate acceleration space. Motorists leaving a concert or restaurant need a dragster to merge into traffic. Recent improvements helped a little, but only a little. Significant—and hugely expensive—long-term solutions will still need to be addressed. Like everything else downtown, challenge offers opportunities. Though difficult to maneuver, those 23 downtown entrances and exits offer a lot of options. All that’s needed now is the kind of imaginative solution used at the Freight House.
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