Car Free Weekends on Cliff Drive in Kansas City

The Kansas City Park Board has created the first "Car Free Weekend in the Park" that we know about in Missouri, according to the KCStar:*

The Kansas City park board on Tuesday approved “Car Free Weekends” at the request of leaders in the Northeast area, closing Cliff Drive to motorized vehicles on weekends from May 16 to Oct. 27 in an effort to promote family and group activities.

The historic roadway will be reserved for pedestrians, bicyclists and skateboarders, said park regional manager Mike Herron. It is undergoing restoration but officials hope it will reopen by May 16.

I had heard about Car Free days in the park (and similar ideas Sunday Parkways or Ciclovia) for years and wondered, what's the big deal.

Well, take a look at this short video and you will understand:



It's not just a street with no cars, it's like a huge block party that goes for miles and miles all around the city. "Fun is the idea."

And gets people enthusiastic about getting out and moving around under their own human power.

Transportation Alternatives has been working on a Car-Free Central Park campaign for years; in Portland they have Sunday Parkways. The idea is catching on in lots of places around the globe.

Creating car-free days on streets or parkways in cities around Missouri is one of the MoBikeFed's statewide goals in our new Vision of Active Transportation in Missouri.

Laurie Chipman of Let's Go KC adds:

I was asked who to thank for this great idea of closing Cliff Dr to automobile traffic for the weekend. To encourage this type of positive behavior from our city staffs and elected officials, it would be great if some of you sent them thank you e-mails. Below are the contacts.

Will Royster of NE neighborhoods WERoyster[at]aol.com

Mike Herron of Parks and Rec michael_herron[at]kcmo.org

Deb Ridgway Kansas City Bike/ped coordinator deb_ridgway[at]kcmo.org

And I think it would be good to tell the KCMO council and mayor that you like this idea, hope it expands and would like more on-road bike facilities for getting around town. (KCMO city council contact info).

Why I'm specific about on-road facilities is because they are getting the message about trails being desired but need reinforcement about on-road transportation bicycle facilities.

* If you know of any other places in Missouri that have a regular Car-Free street or road, like a Ciclovia or Sunday Parkway, please let us know--director[at]mobikefed.org