No GO for Sixth District

South KC Perspective

By John Sharp

South Kansas City did not fare as well as many of us had hoped in getting needed infrastructure projects funded by the city for its 2021-22 fiscal year starting May 1 when the City Council recently deleted bond funding recommended by staff for two major south Kansas City projects.

 Construction funding of $4.3 million was deleted to replace the crumbling and weight and lane restricted bridge on Raytown Rd. over Lumpkins Fork north of 150 Highway.  Funding of $500,000 was also deleted for preparatory work for the bank stabilization needed to reconstruct and reopen Blue River Rd. north of its intersection with Chestnut Dr.

At the request of Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McManus the Lumpkins Fork bridge replacement was added to the 2022-23 fiscal year bond program.  Appropriating funds for the project will still have to be approved by the Council next year, but now the Council is on record in support of funding the project.

The Council already had approved $250,000 for right of way acquisition for the Lumpkins Fork project and $275,000 for right of way acquisition for the Blue River Rd. project in fiscal year 2021-22 as recommended by the Public Improvements Advisory Committee I am a member of. 

Altogether, the Council approved $61.3 million in funding for bridge, street and sidewalk improvements, $3.2 million for flood control projects, and $2.8 million for public building improvements for the 2021-22 fiscal year from the $800 million general obligation bond issue approved by city voters in April 2017.

Other south Kansas City projects funded for the 2021-22 fiscal year include:

• improvements to Lee’s Summit Rd. from Anderson to Lakewood
• reconstruction of 63rd St. from Woodland to Prospect
• repair of the Gregory Blvd. bridge over the Blue River
• replacement of Ward Parkway traffic signals
• construction of a bridge over the railroad tracks at the Swope Park Industrial Area
• stormwater control at 85th & Holmes Rd.
• ADA compliance at the Kansas City Zoo