MainCor and the City have begun working on a new streetscape project to improve the appearance of Main Street through Midtown and make it safer and more inviting for pedestrians.  At the moment they are installing red faux-brick crosswalks at several locations.  Unfortunately, this construction is blocking access for the pedestrians it’s ultimately meant to serve.

The photo above as the intersection of Main Street and Linwood Boulevard.  Construction is blocking both sides of the street, which leaves pedestrians with no alternative route and is something that is supposed to be against City policy.  The situation is especially critical at Linwood and Main because there is MAX bus station right there, plus a big residential population and the Cristo Rey High School.

While there are the regular “Sidewalk Closed” signs, there are now signs directing pedestrians to an alternate route and no temporary walkways through the construction zone. Able-bodied people can probably navigate around the big holes in the ground and dodge traffic, but anyone who is blind or in a wheelchair is just plain screwed.

This is an especially ironic example of how too often pedestrian (and bicycle) access is forgotten during construction projects, even when the construction project is for pedestrian infrastructure.

The recent death of a KCK girl at her bus stop underscores the need for sidewalks in many metro area neighborhoods that were built in the 1950s through the 1970s, when when many local cities didn’t require developers to include sidewalks.  For example, west-central KCK, Waldo and the inner Northland in KCMO, and parts of Raytown, Independence, and northeast Johnson County all lack curbs and sidewalks.

In KCK,  a sales tax proposal on the April 13th ballot would include some funds to help property owners install new sidewalks. Residents in the dead child’s neighborhood are asking for the pragmatic step of starting with sidewalks near schools and bus stops. The Safe Routes to School program provides grants to cities and school districts for things like sidewalks.

In KCMO, Mayor Mark Funkhouser’s Schools First initiative would focus on sidewalks around schools.  Unfortunately it’s getting a cool reception from the City Council, including some Councilmembers who are normally very supportive of pedestrian issues.

Another troubling development in KCMO are efforts by Northland real estate developers to kill the city’s requirement for sidewalks on both sides of the street in new developments.

Fox 4: Bus stop tragedy focuses attention on sales tax.

KCK sales tax proposal.

KCMO Schools First initiative.

Is your child able to walk or bicycle to school, or do they spend hours on  a school bus or in the back of your minivan?  In 1969, approximately 50% of children walked or bicycled to school, and 87% of children living within one mile of school did. Today, fewer than 15% of schoolchildren walk or bicycle to school.

Safe Routes To School is a national program that aims to get more kids walking or cycling to school by addressing the safety and infrastructure barriers that exist today. October is International Walk to School Month, and October 7th is Walk to School Day. Here are some local resources that you can bring to your own child’s school.

The KCMO School District is starting walking school buses at two elementary schools – Phyllis Wheatley school in the Washington-Wheatley neighborhood and Whittier school in the Lykins neighborhood.

Schedule of  October Walk to School events in Missouri schools and Kansas schools.

Walking School Bus Programs
Organized groups of kids walking to school with adult supervision.

• KC Healthy Kids coordinates Missouri Schools
• Bridging the Gap coordinates Kansas Schools

One Mile Solution Lesson Plan
Explore options for walking to destinations in your own neighborhood. Provided by the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation.

Safe Kids Metro KC
Local profit provides additional resources for child pedestrian and bicycle safety. Johnson County  has it’s own Safe Kids group.

State-wide Safe Routes to Schools programs include grants for sidewalks, crossings, education programs, etc.

• Missouri (MoDOT).
• Kansas (KDOT).