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[US71]

As an alternative, simply re-route I-49 along I-470 east around the KC area to end either at I-70 or I-35 northeast of the city, and make the remainding segment of US 71 a BR I-49.

Anthony

How much precedent is there for ending a 2d at a 3d? Though 470 could be an option.

[NE2]

How much precedent is there for ending a 2d at a 3d? Though 470 could be an option.

Assuming you mean in the suburbs (so I-4 at I-275 doesn't count): I-88 at I-290/294.

[ShawnP]

One can only hope Anthony as the backups are legendary in the AM and PM at those 3 lights. Room is there for overpasses and I think the most of the neighborhood is tired of the wrecks and pollution. One person and one person only can get this done with little protest from the neighborhood and that is Emaunel Clever. The one light that has had multiple deaths is the Gregory one and it should be done first.

[Grzrd]

Nevertheless, I still feel that once this project is finished, MDOT and FHWA should attempt one last try to convince the KC neighborhoods in the Bruce Watkins Drive communities to negotiate ending the consent decree and allow completion of the missing segments of the US 71 freeway, even through possible cut-and-cover tunnel segments that could preserve the park median segments.  If the Allendale community in Shereveport can  be turned around on the issue of the I-49 Inner City Connecter going through Shereveport (and they would have been far more dramatically affected), then why not BWD??

One can only hope ... One person and one person only can get this done with little protest from the neighborhood and that is Emaunel Clever.

Both the I-49 Inner City Connector and the Lamar Avenue Corridor in Memphis are currently undergoing coordinated FHWA and HUD studies.  Maybe the carrot for Clever would be HUD money for systematic revitalization of the neighborhood around BWD in conjunction with a palatable upgrade of BWD to I-49.  Missouri IS typically a close call during presidential elections ...

[ShawnP]

The magic for EC is to name something after him. EC loves him EC. I would throw in prettied up sound walls, lots of landscaping and extra fancy work on the overpasses.

[Grzrd]

From Aug, 24, 2010 Kansas City Star:
"The problem
Benjamin M. Smith of Peculiar works downtown and wants to know why, heading north from Gregory Boulevard, there are three stoplights on Bruce R. Watkins Drive (U.S. 71). They really slow his trip, he says ...

The answer
The stoplights resulted from a disagreement between the state of Missouri, which wanted to build a freeway along the entire 10-mile corridor, and some residents of the surrounding neighborhoods, who thought a freeway would damage and divide their community.
Litigation held up the project for years, even as the cleared route scarred the East Side.
But in a 1985 court settlement, neighbors won a concession:
The part of Watkins from Gregory Boulevard to 55th Street would be a parkway, with lower speed limits and traffic lights at 55th and 59th streets and at Gregory.
The idea was to give drivers easier access to nearby businesses and residential areas, increasing the likelihood of economic development. Also part of the deal was enhanced landscaping and fancier bridges along Watkins Drive.
Beth Wright, district engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation, says the parkway portion of the road now carries twice the number of vehicles for which it was designed, which results in the problems Benjamin has experienced.
Later this year, Wright said, the three intersections are to be included in Operation Green Light, which aims to improve traffic flow by coordinating signals. The Watkins signals and their counterparts on Prospect Avenue will be re-timed, which should minimize delays on Watkins.
MoDOT and Operation Green Light will need to collect data and analyze it before looking at alternatives to the present design, Wright said."

Apparently, the hoped-for economic development from the parkway design has not occurred, and traffic is increasingly exceeding the parkway's design capacity, which in turn is probably having a negative impact on both the surrounding neighborhoods and the drivers on BWD.  Maybe Cleaver would be willing to have FHWA and HUD assist MoDOT in rethinking solutions to the intertwined traffic AND neighborhood problems, particularly since the two federal agencies are rapidly gaining experience in conducting these types of analyses.

FWIW October 22 will be the ten-year anniversary of the opening of BWD:
http://www.modot.mo.gov/newsandinfo/publications/Pathways/fall2001/pdf/vital_link.pdf

Traffic twice the design capacity in less than ten years.  What a shame.  And here comes I-49 traffic from the south ...

[J N Winkler]

It would be good to have the stoplights removed, but personally I am not convinced that the I-49 designation should be extended to the downtown ring.  What would be the point?  Even with stoplight removal the US 71 freeway will serve primarily local traffic, and I-49 traffic can get almost anywhere in the Kansas City metropolitan area from the Grandview Triangle.

[Grzrd]

I am not convinced that the I-49 designation should be extended to the downtown ring.  What would be the point?  Even with stoplight removal the US 71 freeway will serve primarily local traffic, and I-49 traffic can get almost anywhere in the Kansas City metropolitan area from the Grandview Triangle.

Very interesting question.  Two visceral roadgeek points:
(1) desirability of a "clean" 2di to 2di connection (I-49 to I-70) at downtown loop; and
(2) High Priority Corridor 1 is defined by legislation as Kansas City to Shreveport; a northern terminus at the edge of the downtown loop would seem to meet the legislative intent of "Kansas City" better than a northern terminus at the Grandview Triangle.  Similarly, assuming parkway converted to interstate grade, uniform signage along the entire corridor as I-49 would seem to better define the corridor as being of national significance instead of changing the corridor's designation at the Grandview Triangle and signing an interstate-grade BWD as US 71 (since BWD has also presumably been legislatively deemed to be of national significance).

To be sure, roadgeek concerns would not rule the day.  I believe the proper designation of the upgraded BWD would boil down to a political calculation: would the neighborhoods and businesses adjacent to an upgraded BWD be better served by an I-49 brand or a US 71 brand?  My initial reaction is that, over the long term, local businesses would be better served by the I-49 brand, whereas the freeway's designation one way or the other would have less of an impact on residential neighborhoods.

Above said, it would be interesting to read a study on that question.

[Revive 755]

It never used to be the MoDOT to hide US routes on interstates other than the occasional error. 

Mostly true, though I've noticed missing signage along I-70 near the MO/KS Border.

Ah, but the signage near the KC loop gets kind of screwy anyway - I recall I-70 actually disappearing near the I-670/US 71 interchange.

As an alternative, simply re-route I-49 along I-470 east around the KC area to end either at I-70 or I-35 northeast of the city, and make the remainding segment of US 71 a BR I-49.

As much as I'd like to see I-470 removed and freed up for use elsewhere in the state, to me it looks better to route I-49 up I-435 to terminate at I-35 near Claycomo so it connects with another north-south corridor.  Or one could go even farther and take I-49 over I-435 to I-29.

[ShawnP]

As a road geek I would love it to go downtown via the Watkins. As human being I just want those death traps removed at the three lights.

[Sykotyk]

It never used to be the MoDOT to hide US routes on interstates other than the occasional error. 

Mostly true, though I've noticed missing signage along I-70 near the MO/KS Border.

Ah, but the signage near the KC loop gets kind of screwy anyway - I recall I-70 actually disappearing near the I-670/US 71 interchange.

As an alternative, simply re-route I-49 along I-470 east around the KC area to end either at I-70 or I-35 northeast of the city, and make the remainding segment of US 71 a BR I-49.

As much as I'd like to see I-470 removed and freed up for use elsewhere in the state, to me it looks better to route I-49 up I-435 to terminate at I-35 near Claycomo so it connects with another north-south corridor.  Or one could go even farther and take I-49 over I-435 to I-29.

Actually, that's not a bad idea. I-49 along I-435 to I-29, and then reroute I-435 east along the I-470 corridor to end at the MO-291/I-70 interchange. I-435 would become a slightly longer G shaped loop from I-29 due south to I-35 due east to US-50/291 due north to I-70.

[Scott5114]

It never used to be the MoDOT to hide US routes on interstates other than the occasional error. 

Mostly true, though I've noticed missing signage along I-70 near the MO/KS Border.

Ah, but the signage near the KC loop gets kind of screwy anyway - I recall I-70 actually disappearing near the I-670/US 71 interchange.

As an alternative, simply re-route I-49 along I-470 east around the KC area to end either at I-70 or I-35 northeast of the city, and make the remainding segment of US 71 a BR I-49.

As much as I'd like to see I-470 removed and freed up for use elsewhere in the state, to me it looks better to route I-49 up I-435 to terminate at I-35 near Claycomo so it connects with another north-south corridor.  Or one could go even farther and take I-49 over I-435 to I-29.

Actually, that's not a bad idea. I-49 along I-435 to I-29, and then reroute I-435 east along the I-470 corridor to end at the MO-291/I-70 interchange. I-435 would become a slightly longer G shaped loop from I-29 due south to I-35 due east to US-50/291 due north to I-70.

Having the new I-435 corridor so near to the old one would probably be rather confusing and would require breaking the "435 is a loop" idea that KC drivers have always had, and the Grandview Triangle is constructed in such a way that this would require a TOTSO for I-49. I would just leave 49 at I-435 for now with an eye to possibly extending it up Bruce Watkins Drive in the future should the stoplight issue ever be resolved.

[route56]

I've gone ahead and updated the US 71 exit guide to reflect the impending I-49 conversion.

http://www.route56.com/exitguides/us71.html

Obviously, until I-49 is officially signed, all BR-49 references are currently BR 71

Comments are welcome (I really ought to do a I-44 guide)

[US71]

I noticed this weekend that a couple sign assemblies and guide signs have been altered to accommodate I-49 signs. I was running late, so didn't have time for photos.

Tangentially related: several sign gantries got demolished near I-44 and US 71 during May's Joplin tornado. Most have not yet been replaced.

[intelati49]

Tangentially related: several sign gantries got demolished near I-44 and US 71 during May's Joplin tornado. Most have not yet been replaced.

Notice on the signing diagram on I-44 (I know) and on US 71 South (EDIT:Checked and same as I-44) the Gantries say "Signs to New Overhead Truss".  

[builder_J]

I've gone ahead and updated the US 71 exit guide to reflect the impending I-49 conversion.

http://www.route56.com/exitguides/us71.html

Obviously, until I-49 is officially signed, all BR-49 references are currently BR 71

Comments are welcome (I really ought to do a I-44 guide)

Watkins Drive has some turnoffs not on the list: There are NB and SB turnoffs at 53rd and 69th Streets in addition to the ones listed at 57th and 60th.

[M86]

I noticed this weekend that a couple sign assemblies and guide signs have been altered to accommodate I-49 signs. I was running late, so didn't have time for photos.

I'm planning a trip to Kansas City... Probably within the next few weeks.  If I see anything, I'll do my best to get a pic!  I am VERY looking forward to the I-49 designation between I-44 and KC!  Why can't Arkansas get their act together... This thing needs to be built!

[Gordon]

I feel the same way. It seems that AHTD looks for the Feds to give All the money. I think those days are over. Being the #1 designated corridor seems it would trump all other prioroties. Just needs to be around Little Rock and it would get more funding. We do not have 1 mile designated I-49 yet. Do you guys think that nearly every contractor over runs the time limit? I think we need hold the time limit better on these jobs.

[Grzrd]

On October 15, the AASHTO Highways Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering reported its conditional approval for the I-49 designation in Missouri when it becomes complete and open to traffic in December 2012; the Committee also gave the same conditional approval for Business Loop I-49 designations in Butler, Joplin, Neosho, and Nevada [pages 6-7/8 of pdf]:
http://www.transportation.org/sites/route/docs/USRN%20Report%20to%20SCOH%20Oct%2015%202011.pdf

[US71]

I feel the same way. It seems that AHTD looks for the Feds to give All the money. I think those days are over. Being the #1 designated corridor seems it would trump all other prioroties. Just needs to be around Little Rock and it would get more funding. We do not have 1 mile designated I-49 yet. Do you guys think that nearly every contractor over runs the time limit? I think we need hold the time limit better on these jobs.

AHTD spends too much money on Pet Projects.  They wanted to build I-49 at Bella Vista as a toll road, then wanted Federal money.  I see they did get ARRA money for the "Hiwasse Bypass" (as I call it) and it's well underway.  I-49 will pass under AR 72, but over AR 279. My camera was dead Friday or I would have tried for some photos.

ALSO: Missouri has rearranged a couple sign assemblies near Joplin to make room for I-49 shields.

[Gordon]

Glad to hear the progress. I drove by the the project Sept 3rd when I went a Razorback game. I could not tell whether 72 North would go over I-49 or under, because they were just getting to that crossing. I think 11/5/11 is the bid info for December. I hope they let the grading contract for 72 north to Missouri.

[Gordon]

I have a question about when do you know when Missouri Highway Department Lets a contractor start on a job. I saw on their site that Radmacher Brothers excavation co. won the low bid on the 3 upgrades, 307th street interchange, 327th street intersection and 283rd intersection in Cass county Aug. 26th. But I don't see anything on their site showing any road work is going on these. Maybe I am missing where they have their jobs under construction.

[US71]

I have a question about when do you know when Missouri Highway Department Lets a contractor start on a job. I saw on their site that Radmacher Brothers excavation co. won the low bid on the 3 upgrades, 307th street interchange, 327th street intersection and 283rd intersection in Cass county Aug. 26th. But I don't see anything on their site showing any road work is going on these. Maybe I am missing where they have their jobs under construction.

May have to field check it. I'll be up that way in December, so I'll try to remember to look.

[J N Winkler]

Before a contractor can start working on a job, a Notice to Proceed (NTP) has to be issued.  A few state DOTs make NTPs available through their websites in some fashion, but MoDOT is not one of them.  In order for a NTP to be issued, the contract has to be awarded first.  It is not uncommon for contracts to be let but not awarded--sometimes the low bid is too high or the prospective awardee is disqualified for one reason or another.

August 26th was a little over two months ago, so assuming that the contract was indeed awarded to the low bidder, I would expect work on these interchange jobs to start right about now, barring things like winter work stoppages.

[Grzrd]

Another step towards I-49 in Missouri:
http://www.fstribune.com/story/1786299.html

The transformation of U.S. 71 Highway to Interstate 49 came another step closer to completion when the interchange at U.S. 71 and Highway E, north of Milo, opened to traffic on Friday. Information found on the Missouri Department of Transportation's Web site, www.modot.org, indicates motorists are likely to see workers in the area of this interchange next week, when they expect to be doing such things as installing white plastic lane markers along ramps and removing the crossover on U.S. 71.
Work also continues on an interchange at U.S. 71 and DD. In this area, workers will be installing guardrail and road signs, spreading grass seed and mulch and continuing work on the interchange.
Interchanges at Compton Junction and Stotesbury opened earlier this fall.