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…
Read MoreDownstream
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…
Read MoreEver 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.…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreIt’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…
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