Today the City issued a press release warning of traffic congestion overloaded surface parking anticipated Downtown due to a morning event at the Sprint Center on Tuesday. While the release included a passing mention of carpooling, there was no mention at all of bicycling or public transit.
Wasting easy opportunities to encourage alternatives to driving won’t help the City’s efforts to improve it Bicycle Friendly Community designation or acheive the new Walk Friendly Community award. Small oversights like this show that the City still needs to do more to incorporate bicycling, walking, and transit into the culture of City Hall.
News from City Hall
City Communications Office
City of Kansas City, Mo.
www.kcmo.org
CONTACT: City Communications Office, 816-513-1349
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 27, 2011Heavier than usual traffic expected Tuesday
The City of Kansas City, Mo., is alerting motorists who commute to the Central Business District to expect heavier than usual traffic on Tuesday, May 31. The “Get Motivated” event scheduled for the Sprint Center will bring an additional 17,000 people into the Central Business District on Tuesday. To facilitate this number of people, Grand Boulevard, in the vicinity of the Sprint Center, will close from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for vehicular traffic.
Monthly parkers in City garages will not be affected. However, daily parkers near the Sprint Center and City Hall will experience a greater demand at parking facilities and are advised to arrive early and carpool, if possible.
The City recommends attendees of the “Get Motivated” event to utilize parking at Kemper Arena, 1800 Genessee Street. A shuttle service provided by Get Motivated will operate between Kemper Arena parking lots and the Sprint Center.
Kemper parking lots A, B and D will be available and can be accessed from Genessee Street off of I-670 or Kansas Avenue to American Royal Drive. 23rd Street is also open with access to Kemper Arena. Directional signage and parking staff will direct cars to appropriate lots.
The parking shuttles will drop off and pick up on Oak Street outside Sprint Center.
Media inquiries about traffic congestion and municipal parking should be directed to Dennis Gagnon, public information officer, 816-513-2659.
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