Kansas City, Missouri, River Bridges
Do they provide safe accommodation for bicyclists and pedestrians?
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There is no question that conditions for bicycling and walking need to be improved in every community in the United States; it is no longer acceptable that 6,000 bicyclists and pedestrians are killed in traffic every year, that people with disabilities cannot travel without encountering barriers, and that two desirable and efficient modes of travel have been made difficult and uncomfortable. Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation |
The Kansas City area has nine roadway bridges across the Missouri River.
The pages below discuss each bridge that has current or potential bicycle/pedestrian access. Each page shows the bridge in detail and discusses how compatible each bridge is with safe bicycle and pedestrian access across the river.
The Bridges
Moving along the river from west to east:
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To varying extents, bicyclists and pedestrians will be present on all highways and transportation facilities where they are permitted and it is clearly the intent of TEA-21 that all new and improved transportation facilities be planned, designed, and constructed with this fact in mind.
Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation |
Summary: Does Kansas City have safe bicycle and pedestrian access across the Missouri River?
As of March 2005:- The Heart of America Bridge can accommodate experienced on-road bicyclists reasonably well in the northbound direction, but not in the southbound direction.
- The Chouteau Bridge can accommodate on-road bicyclists very well in both directions. However, the bridge is too distant to serve downtown Kansas City, Missouri well. Only a few available roads allow access to the bridge and these are extremely bicycle and pedestrian unfriendly.
- No other bridge allows any safe bicycle access.
- No other bridge allows any safe pedestrian access to destinations on both sides of the river.
- No facility currently serves the "average" pedestrian or bicyclist--children, families, inexperienced bicyclists, trail users, or those with disabilities.