Anyone Up For a Gondola Ride?
Voters wanting to send a message that KC needs a workable light rail system accidently passed Clay Chastain's latest ballot measure yesterday.
I'm all for light rail and I really hope it goes through, but first we need to now take a look at what we have done and fix one embarassing glitch in that election's outcome: we need to repeal section 3.
Section 3:
Implement an aerial gondola tram system providing passenger service between Union Station, Liberty Memorial, and Penn Valley Park; remove all thru vehicular roads, including Broadway, in the park and re-route traffic around the park; replace roads with landscaped transportation corridors for new bicycle & walking pathways, the gondola, and a wooden light rail truss bridge; with the funds also to be used to retire bond indebtedness related to the projects, and to help secure additional federal, state, and regional transportation funds?
Closing Broadway from 27th to 31st would be a disaster. More traffic would be forced onto Southwest Trafficway, a thoroughfare that many are trying to reduce traffic on. It would eliminate the only direct route that connects The Plaza, Westport, and Downtown. Businesses along Broadway in Midtown would face a drop in customers due to no longer being on a through-street. Left turns would have to be legalized on Southwest Trafficway in order to provide access, which would create total gridlock and increase accidents, injuries, and deaths.
Plus, we just spent millions of dollars replacing a bridge that would now suddenly no longer be used.
And a gondola to so that fat, lazy people can get across Pershing without walking? Well, here's what that would do to Kansas City's most famous postcard view:
Question 2 passed, that's terrific. But now we must get on the bandwagon and make sure Section 3 is repealed.
Looks like Seth was thinking along the same lines as me.
Comments
I voted yes on this. I actually thought very long and hard about this and came to the conclusion that having the light rail sooner rather than later was more important than the risk that the wacky gondolas actually get thrown up. I'm willing to bet that there will be enough opposition to the gondolas (when people actually figure out how dumb they are) that they will be repealed before any significant effort is put into them. I don't think the plan specified a time line. One can only hope that the relevant bits (section 1 and 2) will be implemented first.
Posted by: Aaron | November 8, 2006 03:42 PM
I have faith that enough people will recognize how ridiculous the gondolas are-not to mention a waste of money-and demand city council remove Section 3.
Now about that ferris wheel...
Posted by: ray | November 9, 2006 08:06 AM
I have faith that enough people will recognize how ridiculous the gondolas are-not to mention a waste of money-and demand city council remove Section 3.
Now about that ferris wheel...
Posted by: ray | November 9, 2006 08:07 AM
How busy is Broadway through the park? I don't think it's THAT busy. It's a good point about the through-way being closed, but I honestly don't think closing Broadway is that big of a deal.
I'd rather develop half the park though, as I think it's really wasted space.
Another things - replace the gondola with a funicular! They're less obtrusive as they don't stick up in the air. Plus, I really like saying the word. Funicular. Mmm.
Posted by: Jeff | November 9, 2006 08:14 AM
I think that stretch of Broadway is busier than people might think... besides the fact that KC just spend a good chunk of money to redo the bridge just South of the new IRS building. I think the biggest point is that drivers would be pushed onto Southwest Trafficway, which allows no left turns. THAT would be the bad part.
Posted by: seth | November 9, 2006 09:59 AM