Another setback for Grand Boulevard and Downtown Bike Network in Kansas City | BikeWalkKC

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

High construction bids present one more challenge for the centerpiece of the city’s future bike network, but also an opportunity to try new strategies for picking up the pace of bike/ped progress in Kansas City.

The much anticipated and long delayed Downtown bike network suffered yet another setback last month when construction bids were opened and only one contractor bid for the work – and at 30% over the available funding. Originally planned for implementation later in 2016, the vision for 13 miles of bike lanes connecting the Westside and Jazz District to a spine of buffered bike lanes on Grand Boulevard is in doubt again as city officials now go back and look for ways to cut costs and/or make the project more appealing to the contractors who would construct it.

MoBikeFed comment: BikeWalkKC has done some really excellent work in prodding Kansas City and related agencies and leaders to keep moving forward on the Grand Blvd project.

The project was envisioned as a way to revitalized a major corridor in downtown Kansas City by bringing a truly multi-modal and livable look to the corridor.

This is the direction that so many cities across the country are going, as they realize that they need to build cities and streets for people if they want to attract people to live, work, and visit there.

But, as so often happens in Kansas City, excellent plans are made and then they languish. Many kudos to BikeWalkKC for keeping the heat on the city and community leaders on this important project.

Grand Boulevard as it stands now is a broad expanse of cracked pavement with relatively little motor vehicle traffic and no street life at all. The Grand Boulevard project is the city's best opportunity to change that for the better--if it is ever implemented.

More history and information about this project from BikeWalkKC here:

http://bikewalkkc.org/blog/tag/grandboulevard/

And from the KCStar here:

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article5729745.html

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