Red Bridge Road: Future Triangle Bypass
Truckers have it made. I used to joke about going to truck driving school because of those gully commercials that used to be on late night television but now it turns out that being a trucker could be the best thing in the world. Not only only do you have a bunch of hipster kids craving your gear but also you have those cool mudflaps with the silhouette of a naked chick on them, reasonably priced hookers, access to all kinds of pep pills and most importantly you have cities (like this one) just dying to build big ass 5 lane roads for you.
Mike Hendricks turns in a great column today about residents of South KC fighting to keep their neighborhood from becoming a truckstop.
The name of Councilman Chuck Eddy comes up first when neighborhood activists speak of the bridge project that inspired their conspiracy theory.Of course Eddy blows off the criticism but South KC residents seem to be pretty savvy in waging a grass roots media campaign with both clever signs along Red Bridge Road and a website dedicated to fighting the project.
Why is Eddy pushing so hard, they ask, to replace the narrow 74-year-old span for which Red Bridge Road is named? And why such a broad bridge on such a skinny road?
Unless, of course, it's the first step in a plan to replace the two-lane blacktop to the east of the five-lane bridge with a major truck route that will ruin the neighborhood while helping Eddy somehow get elected mayor!
posted by Tony Permalink
So why is the Star picking on poor Chuck there are two councilmen in the 6th district and Brooks isn't trying to help the residents of Red Bridge Road either. Both of these guys are talking about running for Mayor and they need the money to run. Evidently they don't think they need the votes from there district to win the Mayor race. Brooks and Eddy are both in on the tear up Red Bridge Road deal. Is it for the Railroad? Is it for the Truckers? Somebody needs to look closer at this.
This isn't the first time Eddy has served his true masters and blown off the overwhelming majority of his constituents. Remember the Richards-Gebaur thing? He screwed that up, screwed up Bannister Mall. This is his last chance to show the people considering him as successor to her Kayness that he's ready for prime time.
That's why he'll say anything, no matter how ridiculous, to push this road through.
Why are there no signs west of Holmes?
Why were no residents west of Holmes quoted in Hendrick's column?
Are the plans for Red Bridge Road only for east of Holmes? (Not according to redbridgeroad.org!)
Questions you may want answered before you make uninformed statements.
Chuck Eddy and Alvin Brooks are trying to kill South Kansas City.
In the middle of Triangle construction traffic counts were 9,000/day and expected to rise to 22,000 by 2025. This is an already developed neighborhood area. Where do you think the increase would come from? Some say trucks. All I know is that after opening 2 lanes on 435 this summer, traffic has decreased by 1500/day. You do the math and decide for yourself if there is more to this.
Wow! You consider being called a conspiracy theorist a rousing endorsement and compliment?
I thought "Theory" meant: An assumption based on limited information or knowledge. And "Conspiracy" meant: An agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful or subversive act.
Looks like Mr. Hendrick's hit Ms. Edens and Mr. Morea on the head and they didn't even know it!
To Anonymous @2:16:24PM, the numbers provided by the City were, "13,000 vehicles per day in 2003...to 22,000 vehicles per day by 2030". Helps to have the right equation.
To Anonymous @1:26:56, I give up, why are there no signs west of Holmes? Sounds like a good thing, but I can't tell.
A theory is an assumption based on limited information or knowledge?
You must be one of those creationist nuts.
The theory of evolution is a fact of life, just as is Chuck Eddy's betrayal of the public trust.
Regarding traffic counts: the city is all over the map on them. A poster above is apparantly quoting a figure given at a public hearing in May, 2005 where the 13,000 figure was given for all of Red Bridge Road. Other figures range from 4,580 to 10,500.
The 22,000 by 2025 figure also comes from that May '05 public hearing.
Helps to have the right information.
To the co-conspiritor who doesn't understand the meaning of the word 'theory'.
There ARE signs west of Holmes. One of them's in my yard.
Or did Chuck Eddy pay you to take it out? :-)
Dear Anonymous @3:13:41PM
First you confirm my traffic numbers were from a "public hearing". Then you provide ranges without disclosing their origination, and end by saying "helps to have the right information"?
Um, didn't you just say I was right?
To the poster above.
Didn't mean to make this a religous battle.
Just didn't think the terminology in the paper was as big a compliment as some seem to think.
My definitions came not from Darwin or the Bible.
The 13,000 figure did not disclose a location, just for "entire Red Bridge Road". The lower figures are for various locations, but all during the time when freeway bypass traffic was much higher than today.
So, you are cherry-picking bogus data.
To conspire is to breath together. There is nothing bad about connecting the dots and peeking under the door into the backrooms of City Hall and finding that every backroom deal always has a few mouthpieces who try to get the public to believe that connecting the dots makes the information suspect. Nothing wrong with seeing which way the wind blows. Is it true that both 6th district councilmen are running for Mayor? Is it true that they have refused to have a "real" public meeting up until they heard that some people were serious enough to go downtown and ask about recall information? Is it true that there is "A" red bridge neighbor writing into this blog trying to mislead those reading the postings? Sign me "not fooled by Chuck"s fool."
For anonymouse @ 2:37:40, the figures quoted came directly out of the 4f evaluation done by HDR and given to the Federal Highway Administration. I don't know how much 'righter' the equation can be.
Evidently the FHWA had no problem with those numbers.
At a recent Southern Communities Coalition meeting, it was brought out that traffic counts do not warrant a stop light at Red Bridge and Jackson. Help me understand. Traffic is bad enough that we need a wider road to accomodate travelers, but not bad enough for a safety feature to protect them.
Speaking of the Southern Communities Coalition meeting and traffic lights, I find it fascinating that Dr. Eddy can confuse Red Bridge and Jackson with Blue Ridge and Wornall. That says a lot about how well he knows his council district. This isn't the first time he has slighted those who live east of Blue River. He seems very proud of what has happened at 135th and State Line, but all the east side of his district could get was a new Wendy's. We've lost Bannister Mall. We've lost Bass Pro. We've lost Quintiles. We are, though, getting a very nice industrial area. Industrialization of the eastern part of south Kansas City would be a good reason to widen Red Bridge Road.
The traffic counts used to justify widening Red Bridge mainly refer to east/west traffic. Justifying a stop light is based on turn traffic. So apparently there isn't enough turn traffic...I don't know.
Do you know what the current turn traffic is and what is required?
Good point, how do you confuse Red Bridge & Jackson for Wornall & Blue Ridge?
Read the paper, went to the web site, linked to this blog.
I can't believe what I'm reading!
Doesn't Alvin Brooks live east of Blue River? I do. Chuck Eddy lives west of Blue River. Where the heck does Alvin stand on all this? Isn't this a Holmes to Grandview Rd issue? He's not mentioned in the paper and only passingly in these blogs. Obviously, he is laying low which is pathetic behavior for someone who lives in the middle of the area of controversy. Either Alvin is with the opposition or with Eddy; whcih is it. At least I know where Eddy stands. Alvin needs to be held accountable. He's already announced for mayor!!!Picking on Eddy is like shooting fish in a barrel.
Here's my attempt to answer the question: "Do you know what the current turn traffic is and what is required?"
I have some figures for the Red Bridge & Jackson intersection dated 2001. It looks like a left-turn area on east-bound Red Bridge Road would handle the congestion that occurs there in the evening rush.
But aside from traffic volumes, I understand that there is a safety problem there. I've heard that south-bound Jackson drivers sometimes fail to notice the stop sign there.
City planners and politicians need to tap into the knowledge of people who live near there and know from personal experience what happens. Work with us! Instead, they sandbag us, stonewall us, and berate us for trying to hold them accountable. If you were at the 2/15 Southern Communities Coalition meeting, you witnessed what I am talking about.
And the worst thing is: they use our demands and suggestions to foist an over-the-top solution upon us like this BridgeZilla thing.
Be careful what you wish for :-)
I don't think Mike Hendricks was hitting me over the head in his piece, and I'm happy with it. It's the best I've seen from the Star on this issue. At least he didn't take dubious and anonymous comments by City bureaucrats and politicians and slip them in as fact.
However, I think the term 'conspiracy theory' is over-the-top and has 'nut case' connotations. I prefer to say we're connecting the dots: A politician serving corporations that contributed to his campaign. Not quite on a par with suggesting that the CIA killed Kennedy or that the government blew up the Murrah Building, wouldn't you say?
Then, there's the nine-eleven conspiracy. That's an in joke for some of you.
Councilman Brooks wholeheartedly backs Councilman Eddy on this proposal. He seems to think that building 4-5 lanes will make it easier for him to get out of his subdivision onto Red Bridge Road. Apparently, there are a number of people that haven't caught on to the notion of, 'build it and they will come'. Anyone who believes that needs to take a look at what happened with Bruce R. Watkins.
The sad part of all this is the other at-large councilpeople some of us thought were elected to represent the entire city. Wrong! If both councilpersons from one district are in agreement on an issue, no one will touch it no matter how sympathetic they may appear.
First Time Blogger,
(so be nice to me)
I agree with Craig. He wasn't hit over the head. However, even by his own admission, "conspiracy theory" was not the most desired description. The article had a very satirical theme; "sinister plot"; "conspiracy theory"; "supposed...supposed...supposed". Not overly positive, but coverage none-the-less.
Best blogger was the one just before Craig's. Alvin Brooks lives in the neighborhood where the roadway is planned to be widened first. He's the one who should receive the most attention. How can we expect any other council member to support something that one of our own doesn't? I say target Brooks, not Eddy
Finally, I drove Red Bridge from State Line today and there aren't any signs over there. Is that due to Eddy living there? Are they not involved? Are they supporting 5 lanes? Craig, can you provide any input?
Maybe the reason Chuck Eddy is being targeted is because he's the one out front saying let's do this. At a meeting held in a home on Red Bridge with 25-30 people present who oppose the project, Chuck Eddy is the one who said that traffic counts don't have anything to do with it. "This bridge is going to happen. If you don't like it don't vote for me." All Alvin says is that he supports Chuck.
First Time Blogger, again.
My point was, you'll never get Eddy to change if one of our own is on his side. If we can change Brooks, then we would have something to go after Eddy with.
If our own neighbor and councilman supports Eddy, whose going to advocate our position to the City? I don't see attacking Eddy as the way to get Brooks to change. That's just an opinion, not an arguementative statement.
To the poster at 2/18/2006 08:10:13 PM:
There was a sign near State Line. Someone seems to have stolen it on Thursday. Hmmm, time for another conspiracy theory, don't you think?
As for the word 'supposed'. Now that you mention it, Hendricks should be reproved for that. He wrote "None mentions the supposed mastermind of the supposed plan to ram a supposed highway through the neighborhood." The plan exists and has been shown at numerous homes association meetings. I have a copy of it. Nothing supposed about it. The word highway applies to all sorts of roads. It was used centuries before it bacame associated with the word 'interstate'. A road that wide can be called a highway. To call Eddy a mastermind though... I don't think anyone ever said that. He's just the front man. The shill. The ramrod.
I just wish Hendricks had written 'supposed neighborhood'. THAT would be funny.
To: First Time Blogger
Thanks for the political advice. But if you're suggesting that we attack Alvin Brooks, I have to say that I think we cannot simply from a moral standpoint. The man met with us and listened to us patiently. In fact, at our last meeting, when the suggestion was put to him that we should wait until after construction has completed on the Grandview Triangle to measure traffic levels, Mr. Brooks said "Maybe that's a good idea. Let me think about that." He left with a friendly promise to meet with us again.
Our attack on Eddy is not based on his support for the bridge or the road. It's the PROCESS. It's clear he doesn't understand the principles of democracy. Personally, I think he's channelling Tom Pendergast. How's THAT for a conspiracy?!
To first time blogger - That's part of the problem. We have no one at city hall to advocate our position. Even if Alvin changed his mind, I don't believe Chuck would. They both need to under- stand that there is a lot of opposition to their plan and that opposition will vote for some other candidate for mayor. If a councilman can't carry his district
he won't become mayor. George Blackwood learned that lesson too late.
There is one ray of hope. Alvin agreed to THINK about waiting until Triangle construction is complete and then doing another traffic count in order to determine
what size road we really need.
Why does Hendricks call this bridge a 74 year old span? According to city records it was reconstructed in 1982.
I think we might be forgetting something here. It's not Eddy. It's not the 'conspiracy'...
THE BRIDGE IS AWFUL.
We won't tolerate Minor Park being ruined by that monstrosity. It's not as if we would go away if only Chuck Eddy and his assistants could convince us that the rest of the road won't be built to the same specifications.
The proposed bridge is dangerous, destructive, ugly, totally un-needed, and will cause the very problems it's being sold to cure.
My realtor says the signs on Red Bridge Road are scaring away any potential buyer! Thanks.
Nothing solved, a lot destoyed.
Good job conspirators!!!
Realtor?!?!?!
Who do you think controls politics in this city?
My realtor say your realtor is an idiot.
I guess you are implying that sellers should try to hide the city's plans from potential buyers?
I would rather live in a place where people speak truth to power and stand up to the bullies.
YOU GO, RED BRIDGE GIRLS!!
The reason a traffic light was brought up at the meeting was more about where Jackson and Grandview Rd are, at about 109th St. A lady at the meeting mentioned Mr Eddy promised the light at a meeting 2 years ago and his aide mentioned Blue Ridge & Holmes in error. There is a propsed new housing edition of 145 houses that will all spill out onto this already dangerous intersection that will destroy a beautiful wooded area.
Will the final version of Redbridge look as good Blueridge? How much will it cost to keep up with bridge maintenance? KCMO already has a high record for road/bridge maintenance so I guess add one more to the list, right?
Would the 145 house proposal be for Kernoodle Park or the wooded area that is basically a natural water runoff into Alex George Park?
RE: 2/24/2006 comment...
Chuck Eddy has a habit of lying and then later feigning misunderstanding.
I found an easy solution, it's called "Move Away". I lived in K.C. for fourty years, ten of them just off Wornall and 109th street. I couldn't take the piss poor city government any more and moved to Lees Summit. Man is it nice to have a REAL city with uncorrupt city officials. That said, get used to it, the Big Bridge is coming along with the Big Road to accompany it.
What I think most people don't understand is that bridges are built to serve for the next 75+ years and it is a "done deal", so it's time to move on. Moving on means having discussions on how wide the road will be leading up to the bridge on the east side. Now that is what we should be focusing our energy on.
It is exactly because the next bridge that goes in there has to last a long time that it should NOT be a big one. We cannot afford to maintain our infrastructure as it is today. If we widen all our roads, then you can add that to the maintenance burden. The price of asphalt has risen 42% in just the last year.
We need to conserve our resources for the future. We cannot live with the thinking of 'bigger is better' that got us here.
Besides: the bridge is not a done deal. Support for it is crumbling both inside and outside the governemnt. Meanwhile, opposition is growing. Over 70 people attended a meeting about that just this month.
My husband and I have been researching the greater Kansas City area since May, 2006 - looking for a different location that would combine our 2 homes (IA and Shawnee) into one, with all the things we have now into one location. Driving around, we see and learn about so - called proposed progress that is mind - boggling! (or, numbing). Signs in Red Bridge (along with numerous for sale signs) NO By - Pass; Fairway - No Fairway large highway bridge; no intermodel signs in the countryside near Gardner, KS; Lansing & Leavenworth. These areas, as well as others throughout the metro area, are facing changes that will destroy lovely established neighborhoods with PEOPLE, schools, churches, businesses, communites that serve their area. South of Kansas City, we found beautiful fields, pastures, horses and cattle, ponds, woods. We saw deer at sunset grazing in the fields across the way, and tree - lined creeks meandering through park - like areas. These people and businesses all are paying significant taxes to the areas tax base. It is true that big trucks and railroads are necessary: they haul our great nations goods such as foods, grains from farms, livestock, energy sources, and Northeast cities garbage. They need to have good and railways, etc. to do their jobs efficiently. However, I think the powers that be need to rethink destroying lovely established areas by putting roads through them. This is not progress. We have great history in our area, we need to preserve it. Building monstrous new communties with no trees and expecting people to move to them isn't the answer. Most of us can't afford to go there. We wouldn't fit in many times. Please rethink the plans - plans can be modified and changed!
So...I am new to the area and want to buy in the Red Bridge area. Please get me up to date. Is the bridge coming for sure?
Wake up everybody, these road improvements are just the beginning for the free trade zone which will have it's central hub at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base. Do a little research on the free trade zones and tell me what you see; straight up from Mexico right up I-35 and right into our backyards. Here is one link you can check out http://www.rense.com/general/naftacanal.htm
Major, wealthy property owners are concentrated between Holmes and State Line. Thats why there's no mention of widening west of Holmes. Try Holmes sometime between 3:30 & 5:30. It's already a jammed raceway. I guess money speaks and hides in the shadows.
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