Connecting Swope Study to Share Recommended Solutions to Improve Connections Across Kansas City's U.S. 71 Highway

The city of Kansas City, Missouri, Mid-America Regional Council, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and the Missouri Department of Transportation invite the public to participate in the second community meeting regarding the Connecting Swope Study. This study is to identify safer pedestrian, transit, and bicycle connections across U.S. 71 Highway and to the future Prospect MAX line.

The community meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, from 6-8 p.m. at Southeast Community Center, 4201 E. 63rd Street, Kansas City, Mo.  The purpose of the meeting is to share photo renderings, analysis and recommended improvements with the community.

The purpose of the Connecting Swope Study is to:

• Identify barriers and gaps in connectivity for pedestrians, transit riders and bicyclists;
• Ensure access to the Prospect MAX bus rapid transit stations; and
• Improve the safety, comfort and ease of crossing U.S. 71 Highway.

U.S. 71 Highway runs a block east of, and parallel to, Prospect Avenue between Swope Parkway and 75th Street. For potential transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists, there are few opportunities to cross the highway; high vehicle speeds and wide intersections all hindering accessibility. Prospect Avenue has some of the highest bus ridership in the region and will soon be converted into a bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor.