Once a landfill for construction debris and the former site of a sand and gravel company, the Berkley Riverfront is now a lively green connection between Kansas City and its most significant natural asset, the Missouri River. It hosts numerous cultural events and activities, and offers amenities such as the 15-mile Riverfront Heritage Trail, sand volleyball courts, and 4.7 acres of wetlands restoration.  The park is adjacent to approximately 85 acres of development controlled by Port KC with sweeping views of the downtown Kansas City skyline and the Missouri River. 

 

However, the Riverfront neighborhood remains isolated from surrounding neighborhoods due to a number of barriers. Chief among these barriers are several rail lines owned and operated by three different railroads. The combination of rail lines, highways, and topography make it difficult for cyclists, pedestrians, and other micro-mobility users to safely travel between the Riverfront and surrounding areas.

 

Removing these barriers is even more important now, as the Riverfront welcomes the first soccer stadium purpose-built for a National Women’s Soccer League team, seating 11,500 people at soccer games, concerts, and events throughout the year. In addition, the Riverfront Streetcar extension will soon connect the River Market to the Riverfront. New housing projects are also underway, increasing demand for improved connections and transportation choices.

 

This plan is the first step to developing a more robust active transportation network connecting the Riverfront to Columbus Park and integrating both of these vibrant neighborhoods more closely to Kansas City’s Greater Downtown area.  Hoxie Collective led community engagement for this effort, including intercept surveys, walking audits, pop-up meetings, online survey tools, and traditional open house public meetings, all of which shaped the plan's recommendations.

 

Plan recommendations included design strategies for new infrastructure to traverse and reduce the many barriers, improved connectivity in all directions, enhancements to lighting and wayfinding, and a suite of policies to manage and maintain the new connections.  Conceptual cost estimates helped to organize and prioritize implementation, and to evaluate tradeoffs between design options.