Nick’s Picks | Roads, Bathrooms, Costco and More …

A new toll road slated to open Saturday aims to reduce congestion on a busy stretch of U.S. Highway 69 in Overland Park. The opening ends three years of disruptive construction. (Courtesy 69Express)

New Toll Road Opens Kansas City’s first toll road opens this week. Starting Saturday, you’ll pay up to $3.50 to travel the new express lanes on U.S. Highway 69 from 103rd to 151st streets in Overland Park. There are no toll booths — cameras scan your license plate, and a bill arrives by mail. KTAG…

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Nick’s Picks | A 2026 Top 10 List

The first day back after a big holiday is never easy. Your inbox is overflowing, your brain hasn’t caught up yet, and coffee is doing all the heavy lifting. We’ve got you. To ease you back into reality, here’s a handy (and mildly entertaining) guide to the 10 biggest projects and cultural moments headed your…

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Nick’s Picks | WyCo, High-Rises, Buses and More …

Christal Watson will be sworn in the evening of Dec. 15, 2025, as the new mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. (Carlos Moreno | KCUR 89.3)

Kelce Retirement Announcement? What’s your big new distraction now that the Chiefs are out of the playoffs? It’s going to be a long winter for Chiefs fans after the team fails to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Now get ready for the questions: Will Travis Kelce announce his retirement this week?…

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Nick’s Picks | Streetcar, Shutdown, Voting and More …

Streetcar 802 sits idle on Main Street near Country Club Plaza where it was undergoing testing on the Main Street extension on Thursday, July 24, 2025. (Carlos Moreno | KCUR 89.3)

Big Streetcar Opening Ceremony After more than three years of pain and disruption, Kansas City’s new streetcar extension line finally opens this week, allowing passengers to ride all the way down to the Country Club Plaza and on to UMKC. A grand opening ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. on Friday at the new Plaza…

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Kansas City Bears Racial Scars of Interstate System

Bruce R. Watkins Drive runs behind Paseo Baptist Church, 2501 Paseo Blvd. The church's founding pastor, Rev. D. A. Holmes, was a leading opponent of the Watkins Drive project, which severed Black neighborhoods.

Political power, civic influence, and blatant racism shaped the construction of the federal highway system crisscrossing the U.S. today. Kansas City was an extraordinarily adept player in the post-WW II effort. As a result, interstates slice and encircle the metropolitan area, U.S. 71 Highway runs along the east side of town, and many other connecting…

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