The Future of Blue River Road

Thank you to everyone who gave feedback about the future of Blue River Road! Kansas City officials are moving forward with the first phase of restoration of Blue River Road - which will focus on the abandoned roadway segment from Chestnut Drive to Bannister Road in Council District 6. This portion will be converted into an all-purpose trail, which is currently under design.

City officials are still exploring restoration options on other closed portions of Blue River Road. Future reconstruction of the roadway could be implemented if funding is allocated towards those efforts.

Blue River Road was first built by Jackson County in 1929 and has experienced multiple structural failures over the years. Today, several portions of the road are closed due to safety and structural issues.

Phases

Phases overview

Phase 1: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE 1

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE 1

Phase 2: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE 2

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE 2

Phase 3: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT - DESIGN OF PHASE 1

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT - DESIGN OF PHASE 1

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE 1

April 28, 2025 5:00 AM - August 23, 2025 5:00 AM

Area of Impact:

Map of Blue River Road:

Blue River Road Options:

Option 1A - Rebuild Existing Alignment - $30M - $46M

Rebuild to modern standards on existing alignment
Shift road 20-ft into bluff
2 x 12-ft lanes
2 x 5-ft sidewalks
Streambank stabilization

Option 1A:

Option 1B - Rebuild Existing Alignment with Shared Path - $31M - $48M

Rebuild to modern standards on existing alignment
Shift road 20-ft into bluff
2 x 12-ft lanes
1 x 10-ft shared path
1 x 5-ft sidewalk
Streambank stabilization

A diagram of a construction site

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Option 2 – Shift Road into Bluff - $29M to $50M

Shift roadway 60-ft into bluff
Roadway rests on top of Limestone for stability
2 x 12-ft lanes
1 x 10-ft shared use path
Drainage improvements

Option 2:

Option 3A – Shared Road to Fields, Trail Only to the South - $19M

22-ft wide roadway to football fields
2-way traffic on shared use road
18-ft wide trail only between football fields and Chestnut
Stream bank stabilization

A diagram of a pedestrian crossing

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Option 3B – Roundabouts, One Way Traffic South of Fields - $20M

22-ft wide roadway with roundabouts at baseball fields and at Chestnut
One-way SB road 18-ft wide shared use in between
Stream bank stabilization

A diagram of a pedestrian crossing

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Option 4 – Road Closure and Trail - $1M to $2M

Walking Trail
Microsurfacing and Pavement Marking
Starting 890 feet south of Bannister and extending to the south side of the gravel parking lot.
Removal of pavement with an approximate pavement thickness of 10 inches.
Grading and placement of removed pavement (millings) to serve as the trail base.
Paring Lot
Grading and Placement of removed pavement (millings) in the gravel parking lot.
Adding parking area at southern terminus at Chestnut Drive
Similar treatment from Hickman to Prospect
No streambank stabilization

Option 4:

Option 5 – Move the roadway to East - $42M

Realign new roadway through hill

Option 5:

Kansas City staff wants to hear your input on the future of Blue River Road! Click on "Submit a comment" and leave your thoughts here.

US Army Corps Report 2016.pdf

(1.2 MB)

Blue River Rd Geotech Study.pdf

(7.0 MB)

Blue River Rd Presentation - April 28.pdf

(1.7 MB)

Blue River Road Engineering Study.pdf

(12.2 MB)

103 issues

Sarah Hemme1 year ago The presenter from Public Works did a great job of explaining the geotechnical engineering aspects of the problem and how the road building standards of the 1920s in this particular location were destined to fail eventually. In plain English: the closed portions of Blue River Road are an active, slow moving landslide and the cost to both stabilize the slope PLUS rebuild the road would be astronomical. With no federal funds available, going all-in with PIAC and/or GO Bonds for such an expensive endeavor is likely to mean that other necessities and amenities in our district would suffer: sidewalks, curbs, gutters, pickle ball courts, tennis courts, park shelter improvements, etc would be left without adequate funding for years and years to come.Keeping the road closed but transitioning it to a nice trail surface for cyclists, hikers, walkers, etc. to enjoy is the most cost-effective option. If done right, this could become a primary hub for access to nature, to the Blue River, and for recreational enjoyment right here in South KC, similar to Cliff Drive in the Historic NE area of KC. In partnership with Jackson County and KCMO Parks, I envision parking areas, restrooms, upgraded trail signage and riparian woodland restoration with local conservation groups like Heartland Conservation Alliance, Bridging the Gap and Sierra Club. I live in a neighborhood directly off Blue River Rd and currently access it as-is on bicycle and foot on a weekly basis. I love our little urban oasis but would love to see it improved so that more people feel comfortable and safe accessing it too. Thank you.

Kit Land1 year ago As someone that rides bikes all over the city, Blue River road is an essential artery for cyclists and commuters going north or south on the east side of town. The "closed" portion of the road is one of my favorite sections in the city to ride because of the lack of cars and the beauty of the surrounding nature. It is depressing to see how much trash gets dumped back there and it seems likely more trash would end up there if cars could more easily access it. According to Strava, one section of trail directly parallel to the closed portion of the road after Chestnut Ave, has been ridden over 22,000 times since 2009. I'm confident the number is even higher since not every cyclist uses Strava to track their rides. This doesn't even include the number of cyclists using the closed portion of the road itself. I can see how neighbors might view the closed road as a problem and think no one is using it but to dump trash etc. but the data is clear: thousands of people are already using this road on their bikes to get outside, go to work, or enjoy the surrounding trail network. I think the most beneficial and cost effective option is continue to make it safer and more accessible to bikes and pedestrians.

Patricia Carter1 year ago

Dylan Trigg1 year ago I support converting Blue River Road into a dedicated trail. It is already heavily used by pedestrians, runners, and cyclists, and improving safety for these users is the most sensible and impactful option. Reopening it to vehicle traffic would come at a high cost with limited benefit, especially considering the existing network of bike and trail infrastructure in the surrounding area. This corridor provides people throughout Kansas City access to the beautiful Blue River and connects thousands of users to work, recreation, and nature. Prioritizing its use as a safe, non-motorized trail aligns with how the space is used today and enhances its value for the entire community.

Matt Roberds1 year ago I support anything that separates the bikes/pedestrians and cars. Therefore, I like the plans to support a 10-foot wide multi-use trail on the river side of the roadway, by cutting the roadway into the bluff. I also like the plans to make this area bike/pedestrian exclusive, no cars.I don't support the idea of having a shared bike and car roadway. The speed limit might nominally be 35 mph, but the actual speeds will be up to 50 mph. This is too much to support bikes and cars on the same roadway.I don't like the idea of completely re-routing the road by cutting it several hundred feet into the bluff. There is a certain element of having a nice little road winding along the river, and moving it several hundred feet away defeats that.As a volunteer for Project Blue River Rescue/Missouri Stream Team, I would very much like to see efforts made to make it harder to dump trash on Blue River Road. Before it was closed, I helped pull up a whole bunch of tires from the land below the retaining wall, just south of Hickman Mills Drive, at one of the PBRR cleanups.This might look like a wall or other barrier between Blue River Road and the river. It might look like frequent street lights, to dissuade illegal dumping. It might look like cameras installed on a temporary or permanent basis to catch illegal dumping. It might look like restricting this area to a bike/pedestrian trail, with bollards and fences to stop vehicles from accessing the area. It might be a combination of approaches. Whatever it is, it should be hard to dump trash along the river.

Chris DeLong1 year ago Over a decade ago the Missouri Department of Conservation designated the Blue River Corridor as a "conservation opportunity area," the only one in an urban area. But after the failure of county and city leaders to meaningfully embrace this idea, we've sadly gotten dropped from their map. Despite that, choosing the vastly more economical trail project could finally move us in the right direction. Anyone who enjoys being in nature to de-stress, explore, spend time with family, birdwatch or connect with nature will benefit.And not only direct users. The role of this green corridor in mitigating urban heating should not be discounted. Try this on a hot summer day: turn north on Blue River Road from Hickman Mills and be amazed at the temperature drop as you enter the more green corridor. Wouldn't anyone prefer to live in an area with a nearby nature trail than just a road? One that's literally cooler?Note however that our city's current "trail" construction methods could use improvement with regards to preserving natural life. A trail going through a natural area needs its existing native plants preserved or restored on either side of it. It does NOT need an apron of mowed turf grass further dividing and degrading our ever reducing natural spaces. APWA standards exist to accomplish erosion control with native seeds. These are readily available, Missouri sourced, and can be economical. It's easy for the masses to think of this area as a dump or so wholly taken over by invasive plants as to be valueless. But its value as a "conservation opportunity area" remains, evidenced by highly diverse iNaturalist observations and the restoration being done at Heartland Overlook Preserve just catty corner from one of the closed sections at Grandview Rd.I've volunteered there and annually at Blue River Cleanup. I've biked on the road when it was open and since it's been closed. "This should be a trail" always comes to mind.

Nathan Woodruff1 year ago

Ben Reed1 year ago

Andrew Cohen1 year ago

Matt Davis1 year ago The cost to rebuild this 3 mile stretch of road is frankly insane. The need simply does not justify the cost. There is no argument for this that makes any sense. Additionally, dumping is already a huge problem in this area, which would presumably get worse if the road re-opens. Kansas City has so many pressing needs, and this is just not one of them. I totally support keeping the road closed to bicycle and pedestrian (trail) traffic only. Not only does this save money, but it creates a safe place for people to walk and bike in nature. It's got a Cliff Drive feel to it, but it's less sketchy. If anything, spend some money to make it an even better bike/ped experience for people who use it.

Jacob McLaughlin1 year ago Convert to pedestrian/bike path. Use appropriate barriers to prevent dumping, tree poaching, etc.Fixing Blue River road to the tune of $40+million is irresponsible given the low amount of traffic it saw even in its heyday (~1000 cars), this was when the Honeywell site was active at the north end of the area as well, now that is moved I'd guess the number to be even less. Additionally, even if the city was able to find tens of millions of dollars to dump into a low travel road, whose to say the next flood doesn't take out the south section of the road, given that it is noted to have the same geological features as the north.

Sara Crangle1 year ago

Stephanie Moore1 year ago

Tracey Allen1 year ago Thank you for holding this community meeting regarding the future of Blue River Road. The speakers at the meeting gave informative info about the current status and options for future use of Blue River Road. As a homeowner directly on Blue River road, we vote the option for trails and keeping the road closed. The funding for opening the road seems unattainable and far fetched. We feel that additional funding will be needed when erosion happens and the ground becomes once again unstable.

Lynn DeCapo1 year ago As someone who regularly drove Blue River road from blue ridge to bannister throughout my teens and continues to utilize the road to Red bridge many times a week I feel strongly that the road not be restored for cars but be left as a safe space for wild things and a slower paced observer to enjoy. The road has enabled a peaceful inspirational commute throughout my life but experiencing the river and the nature that remains around it by foot bike and boat brings significantly grater value. As Kansas City and surrounding areas continue to rip up the little plots of trees left it makes blue river such a special place to experience a variety of wildlife and old growth trees. If you spend time around blue river road you’ll see how the drivable part is consistently being used a a dumping ground. Leaving some of the river corridor inaccessible to cars minimizes the mileage of road that continually needs clean up efforts. Also, blue river road south of red bridge was in very bad shape(almost not worth commuting on for the past several years until it was repaved along with much of south kc last year. Lastly I acknowledge the consistent wildlife death on the road due to fast moving vehicles. Understanding the value of a need for natural spaces, for our own, as well as planetary health, and the resources that would be used to make the road drivable and maintain the pavement and litter between red bridge and bannister seem to offer an obvious answer to the question of the best use of our resources relating to the the area.

Patrick McDonnell1 year ago

Tim Seidel1 year ago The cost to reopen Blue River Road to cars is not feasible. The roadway has been closed so long that it is no longer an inconvenience for individuals to find alternate routes. They have already adapted. Opening the road to vehicular traffic costs an outrageeous amount for the number of vehicles. That option would only provide for more dumping ground beyond what we still experience today. Trail and pedestrian use is the most affordable and most beneficial option to our health, well-being and enjoyment.

Steve Ashton1 year ago None of the proposed options make any sense. An option 6 should have been proposed which is to repair the road to the same width and route that it was prior to 2015. This is not a new road. So, there is no reason to add bike lanes and sidewalks that didn't exist before. It doesn't make sense to add them unless it can be done for the full length of the road.There is no reason to convert what used to be a beautiful drive into a bike path. There are already multiple bike paths in the area. We need this beautiful historic drive through Blue River Parkway restored!

Cecily Griffin-Burnley1 year ago I support Option 4 – closing Blue River Road to cars and turning it into a walking and biking trail.This is the most cost-effective option by far. Spending $1–2 million to create a public trail makes more sense than pouring $30–50 million into rebuilding a road that’s mainly used as a cut-through.A lot of concerns I’ve heard focus on illegal dumping, but Kansas City recently increased funding for enforcement on that issue. We can also work with local groups to help keep the trail clean — and that’s going to cost a lot less than rebuilding a full roadway.Option 4 is a practical choice that improves safety, protects the environment, and gives people a place to walk, ride, and enjoy the area without cars. Please choose this option.

Kristi Ashton1 year ago I can't believe after 16 years we are still talking about this. This road should have been repaired 16 years ago!! The idea of turning one mile of Blue River Road into a bike path is ludicrous, at best! Blue River Road is, literally, surrounded by bike paths, both paved and unpaved. Surrounded. Our city government has failed us over and over. Sold us on the $800 million GO Bonds with a promise to fix Blue River Road. Then the bait & switch, "you've learned how to get around it", "it's a secondary road", "it doesn't have enough traffic", etc. Stabilizing Blue River Road was on the GOKC General Obligation Bond Program 5 year plan, fiscal year 2021-2025 and now the talking point is "it can't be fixed." In its paved state, is nearly 100 years old. It connects over 4000 acres of parkland, Swope Park & Blue River Parkway. It's a beautiful drive that will take you from Martin City to Starlight. Just repair the road, it doesn't need sidewalks or bike lanes for this one single mile. These options are insulting to this community. All that "it's very expensive" talk just tells us that you don't think the 6th District is worth it. KCMO should be ashamed how they have let this city treasure become a dumping ground. I cannot imagine this happening in ANY other part of the city, particularly where council or the Director of Public Works live.

Eric Thairu1 year ago

Tricia DeGraff1 year ago

John Conover1 year ago

David Wilcox1 year ago My dream would be for a bike/ped corridor following the entire Blue River watershed. This project should advance that goal.The entire Kansas City region is starved for outdoor recreation opportunities. Cyclists already use Blue River Road despite speeding cars, counterproductive bike lanes, and illegal dumping. How many people would use the corridor if it were intentionally designed and invested in?Every piece of successful recreational infrastructure in this city has one thing in common - it is closed to vehicles. Cliff Drive, Rock Island, Little Blue, Trolley Track - all of these places are used by a wide variety of people and activities. The Blue River could tie all of these pieces together into one system, while advancing the worthy goals to Renew the Blue.

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Events

Past events

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Event date: April 28th, 2025 at 10:30 PM to April 29th, 2025 at 12:00 AM.
433 E Red Bridge Rd
1 registrant
Read more
Blue River Road Public Meeting 2
Event date: October 1st, 2025 at 11:00 PM to October 2nd, 2025 at 1:00 AM.
8715 Holmes Road
3 registrants
Read more

The Future of Blue River Road

Phases

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE 1

Area of Impact:

Blue River Road Options:

103 issues

Protect the Natural Beauty of the Blue River Corridor

Improve the road for cyclists and foot traffic please

Keep it closed to cars

Keep it Closed To Cars and Make it Safer for Bikes and Pedestrians

Make bikes possible, make dumping hard

Embrace the Trail option

Option 4

Option 4 (Convert to Trail) is both cost effective and consist with current use

Blue River rd for bike and hike only seems logical

Absolutely Not

Option 4, also...what about the sections that are noted as potentially unstable S of Red Bridge?

Option 4!!! Always!!

Making KC Walk & Bike Friendly

Keep Blue River Closed

Option 4: road closure -trail

Just fix the existing road.

Keep it Closed Keeps it Clean

Save Blue River Road!!

Support for option 4

Save Blue River Road

Option 4!

Option 4

Why can we not repair the existing road, add some lights and cams, and reopen the road?

Option 4

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Events

Past events

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Blue River Road Public Meeting 2

The Future of Blue River Road

Phases

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE 1

Area of Impact:

Blue River Road Options:

103 issues

Protect the Natural Beauty of the Blue River Corridor

Improve the road for cyclists and foot traffic please

Keep it closed to cars

Keep it Closed To Cars and Make it Safer for Bikes and Pedestrians

Make bikes possible, make dumping hard

Embrace the Trail option

Option 4

Option 4 (Convert to Trail) is both cost effective and consist with current use

Blue River rd for bike and hike only seems logical

Absolutely Not

Option 4, also...what about the sections that are noted as potentially unstable S of Red Bridge?

Option 4!!! Always!!

Making KC Walk & Bike Friendly

Keep Blue River Closed

Option 4: road closure -trail

Just fix the existing road.

Keep it Closed Keeps it Clean

Save Blue River Road!!

Support for option 4

Save Blue River Road

Option 4!

Option 4

Why can we not repair the existing road, add some lights and cams, and reopen the road?

Option 4

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Events

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PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Blue River Road Public Meeting 2