Monday evening the Missouri Department of Transportation will host a public open house to preview the new bicycle and pedestrian path being designed for the Heart of America Bridge over the Missouri River. Drop in anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Mid-America Regional Council, 600 Broadway Boulevard if Downtown KCMO.
Click for full-size diagram (PDF)
The plan is to convert the existing northbound shoulder into a 10 foot wide trail with a barrier separating it from automobile traffic and a fence along the edge of the bridge. On the south side of the river, the new path will accessed from bridge’s existing 3rd Street entrance ramp in the Columbus Park neighborhood. On the north side, a short trail along Burlington Avenue will connect 10th Avenue to the bridge.
In addition to the new barrier-separated path, rest of the bridge will be re-striped to provide 14′ outside lanes for bicyclists who choose to ride on with traffic. Engineers are working on the design right now, and construction contract is scheduled to be awarded in December. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2010 and be finished by spring 2010.
Some suggested questions for MoDOT…
- How will bicyclists transition from the street to the trail?
- Who will maintain and clean the new trail, and how often?
- How will bikes and peds who currently use the northbound shoulder be accommodated during construction?
- How will people get to/from the trail and the Downtown Loop?
View Heart of America Bridge Bike/Ped Path in a larger map
