Put People on the Paseo Bridge

Let’s Go KC, in cooperation with the Missouri Bicycle Federation and many other bicycling, walking, and trails groups across the region and state has announced a new project to Put People on Paseo.

The Paseo Bridge crosses the Missouri River in Kansas City, and is currently a multi-lane interstate highway bridge with no bicycling or pedestrian accommodations. The problem is, no other bridge in Kansas City offers bike/ped accommodations, either. Right now, there is no way for people to safely get across the river without using motor vehicles.

The Paseo Bridge is scheduled to be rebuilt, at a cost of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars, but MODOT, despite setting aside space for a separated bicycle/pedestrian path, are currently are not planning to actually build the bridge path or connect it to paths on the ground.

For that reason, a coalition of bicycling, walking, running, and trails groups have started a pledge drive to find the rest of the funding needed to “Put People on Paseo”.

If the bike/ped accommodations are not part of the upcoming project, MoDOT will not build the walking and bicycling trail until 2031, 20 years from now!

This is a tremendous opportunity to improve the transportation infrastructure in the Kansas City area, but if it doesn’t get done now, it won’t happen for 20 years, and may never happen at all.

Transportation projects should be about moving people, not just moving cars. Your pledge helps demonstrate to MoDOT that the public really does want access to the new bridge.

Please, pledge you support to the Put People on Paseo project.

Your pledge — even if it’s just a dollar or two — will help make it happen. No cash is needed now. The money will be collected only if needed to build the ramps to the bicycle/pedestrian trail on the bridge.

All proceeds raised will go towards the $4 million that the City of KCMO needs to fund the ramps up to the bridge.

Learn more: Let’s Go KC, Missouri Bicycle Federation