I-29 and I-49

[yakra]

When queried about it I'd say "We're not upgrading the Watkins Drive to a freeway! That's our least favorite thing to do! We're implementing a new highway concept never before seen in the US. It's called, um, a..a gazordianplat. Gazordianplat. Yeah."

Google asks me if I meant "Gazorninplat" -- I *could* ask, but know I really shouldn't...

[Scott5114]

I don't know what a Garzorninplat is, but the topic of Gazordianplats was covered fairly extensively on "Garfield & Friends" when I was a little kid.

[TheStranger]

Were I Pete Rahn I'd gradually do a little upgrade work every five years or so that nobody notices that the route's gradually becoming a freeway. Easier to boil a frog when it's already in the water and what not. When queried about it I'd say "We're not upgrading the Watkins Drive to a freeway! That's our least favorite thing to do! We're implementing a new highway concept never before seen in the US. It's called, um, a..a gazordianplat. Gazordianplat. Yeah."

Funny thing is, this honestly sounds like why I think the Doyle Drive replacement along US 101 in San Francisco from ancient, undivided Super 6 (unless you count traffic cones as dividers) to divided modern limited-access route is being named "Presidio Parkway"!

For that matter, it also reminds me of when I-440 was built in Nashville and was originally given the moniker of "440 Parkway"...

[mightyace]

For that matter, it also reminds me of when I-440 was built in Nashville and was originally given the moniker of "440 Parkway"...

Nobody calls it that anymore, but some of the "Four-Forty  Parkway"  signs are still up!

[US71]

Nobody calls it that anymore, but some of the "Four-Forty  Parkway"  signs are still up!

I-64 in St Louis is still called "Highway 40" by a lot of folks.

[yakra]

I don't know what a Garzorninplat is, but the topic of Gazordianplats was covered fairly extensively on "Garfield & Friends" when I was a little kid.

I watched the show pretty religiously back when it was on the air. I have a feeling it'da been right up my alley; Why do I not remember this? (Could it possibly be the intervening 21 years provide ample time to forget? Bah, it's only 70% of my life...)

[Scott5114]

I don't remember the exact context (something involving the Buddy Bears maybe?), and a Google search seems to not turn up any apropos information.

Kind of sad really, that seeing episodes of the show again on YouTube makes me realize the cartoon was several orders of magnitude better than the comic strip has ever been.

[bugo]

I don't know what a Garzorninplat is, but the topic of Gazordianplats was covered fairly extensively on "Garfield & Friends" when I was a little kid.

I watched the show pretty religiously back when it was on the air. I have a feeling it'da been right up my alley; Why do I not remember this? (Could it possibly be the intervening 21 years provide ample time to forget? Bah, it's only 70% of my life...)

My favorite Garfield character is Binky the Clown:

[Revive 755]

I don't remember the exact context (something involving the Buddy Bears maybe?), and a Google search seems to not turn up any apropos information.

I believe it was an episode where the Buddy Bears were trying to make the show more educational; Garfield brings up the word to stump them.  The episode ends with Garfield's show being replaced with the Gazordianplat Show.

[ShawnP]

The key to upgrading US-71 lies with one person and one person only. That person is the Reverend Emanual Cleaver who is the local congressman for that area. He has the political clout and muscle to smooth over community opposition to upgrading that area. That stretch of road is very, very dangerous as many deaths have occured at the Gregory boulevard light. It's only a matter of time before a school bus gets hit there.

[US71]

The key to upgrading US-71 lies with one person and one person only. That person is the Reverend Emanual Cleaver who is the local congressman for that area. He has the political clout and muscle to smooth over community opposition to upgrading that area. That stretch of road is very, very dangerous as many deaths have occured at the Gregory boulevard light. It's only a matter of time before a school bus gets hit there.

There was a fatality accident there back in March. Killed a 12 y/o .

[ShawnP]

I moved back to KC in 03 to finish my Navy career. Since then I think the count is 7 or 8 deaths at that horrific intersection. It was a intersection that should have never been built and hopefully this last tragic death can spur MODOT and the local neighborhood group to make nice and build a full blown interchange. The good news is MODOT left lots of space to build interchanges at the 3 lights on 71. I used to travel this way in the morning to go to work off Brush Creek Blvd and the backups were 1-2 miles every morning at that light and the two next one's. To save money you could build a two for one interchange at the northern set of lights. Kinda like MODOT did Brush Creek. All in all it's a very easily doable upgrade with not much money.

[ShawnP]

New Missouri STIP still includes upgrades for US-71 to I-49 from Joplin to Harrisonville. Appears that the Bella Vista bypass money has been shifted to projects further north. Overall the rubber has hit the road as MODOT is outta cash and going back to bare maintenace on it's roads again.

http://www.modot.mo.gov/newsandinfo/District0News.shtml?action=displaySSI&newsId=53544

[US71]

Here is a map of the MoDOT Southwest District Transportation Improvement Plan for 2011-2015.

http://www.modot.mo.gov/plansandprojects/construction_program/STIP2011-2015/documents/maps/Dist07_STIP11_draft.pdf

Several projects include current US 71, but none of the projects include I-49 south of Pineville.

Specific projects are listed here:

http://www.modot.mo.gov/plansandprojects/construction_program/STIP2011-2015/documents/D0711-15Hwy&BridgeSchedPubDraft.pdf