MARC and our “Beyond the Loop” partners are asking you to share your thoughts on the next steps in a study of the future of the Broadway/O’Neil Bridge and I-70 North Loop at two upcoming open houses.
- The first open house will take place on Wednesday, March 21 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Mid-America Regional Council, 600 Broadway, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri, 64105.
- The second will be Thursday, March 22 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at iWerx, 1520 Clay Street, North Kansas City, Missouri, 64116.
RSVP for either meeting online at www.beyondtheloopkc.com/event.
The Beyond the Loop study began in early 2017 to lay the groundwork for future improvements to the Broadway Bridge, renamed the John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil Memorial Bridge, and the north side of the downtown loop. After an initial public kickoff meeting, study partners drafted a formal statement of purpose and need, and then sought further input from the public and stakeholders on future infrastructure investments and potential design changes. Participants expressed strong support for a new bridge that would strengthen connections to downtown and nearby communities.
Since then, the team has examined a wide range of possibilities suggested by partner agencies and the public, using data analysis and modeling to determine which options are most feasible for the study area. At the upcoming open houses, study partners will present these potential options and seek further public input.
The Broadway/O’Neil Bridge across the Missouri River — also U.S. Highway 169 — is a critical route that is heavily used by travelers in both directions, connecting northland communities to and through downtown Kansas City and providing northbound travelers access to Kansas City airports and northland jobs and amenities. At its south end, the bridge connects with I-70 on the north side of the downtown freeway loop, providing a critical east-west connection between downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and downtown Kansas City, Kansas. The study area encompasses the full downtown loop and stretches north to the intersection of U.S. 169 and I-29. In addition to highways and bridges, the study area includes neighborhoods, industrial districts, railways, the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers, and the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport.
Transportation Matters 