Digging In
No Public Inspections for Our Rail Bridges
The old Broadway Bridge, built in 1956 when Dwight Eisenhower was president, is “structurally deficient,” according to publicly available reports, and needs critical repairs. But right next to it stands a much older bridge for which detailed public records are not available. The rusty, century-old Second Hannibal Bridge, finished in 1917 when Woodrow Wilson was…
Downstream
Downstream As Kansas City Grows, Rivers Become Increasingly Urbanized By: Jesse Howe Kansas City is served by multiple watersheds, the Blue River being the largest. (184,998 Acres) The watershed runs through four counties before it reaches the Missouri River. 54 percent of the watershed is in Kansas 46 percent is in Missouri Approximately 63 percent of…
Ever Thought of It? Sidewalks Play Big Role in Community Health
Let’s say you buy a new home in Kansas City, and several months later, the city blindsides you with a $4,000 bill for sidewalk repairs you knew nothing about. Seriously? City Councilman Scott Wagner encountered just that scenario the other day. “This isn’t fair,” the man complained to Wagner. “I told him, ‘Yeah, that stinks….
The State of Our Metro Bridges? May Not Want to Shut Your Eyes
When it comes to the sorry state of Kansas City bridges, City Manager Troy Schulte says the one that keeps him up at night is the old Broadway Bridge over the Missouri River. But a Flatland analysis of bridge inspection data reveals that there are enough problem bridges in the metropolitan area to keep Schulte…
It’s the Journey: A Slice of Bus Life | Preview
If you’ve ever wondered how people navigate the city using public transportation, watch “The Bus Riders,“ the first in a three-part series on the quality of the city’s infrastructure and how Kansas Citians use it. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 1. All three episodes culminate in a documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 30 on KCPT. — Follow the entire…
Bus vs. Streetcar Debate: No Easy Answers
More than a decade ago, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority launched an express bus system along Main Street between the Country Club Plaza and the City Market. Known as the Metro Area Express, or MAX, that 6-mile route proved so successful that five years later, in 2010, the authority added another line along Troost…
Send Us Your Pothole Pictures
If you drive in the Kansas City metro, chances are you’ve hit a pothole and cringed as you imagine what it may have done to your car.
The Cost of Our Public Transit | Preview
If you’ve ever thought about the importance of the city’s public transit system, follow The Cost of Public Transit, the final in a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 5. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2 on KCPT. — Follow the entire project online…
The Cost of Our Roads | Preview
If you’ve ever thought about the state and age of the roads you drive everyday, follow The Cost of Roads, the fourth in a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 4. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2 on KCPT. — Follow the entire project…
A City Haunted by Ghost Water
It first bubbled up a year ago as a steady stream at the edge of Harry Ellis’ well-kept lawn. It flowed across the nearby roadway north of the river and splattered mud on passing cars. In the winter, it formed an icy glaze. The people from the city came. They dug down to their pipes…