Kansas City, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Transportation recently hosted the second public meeting for the I-29/I-35/U.S. 169 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study at Northland Neighborhoods, Inc. and presented scenarios for the preliminary PEL recommendation. Scenarios were screened on several factors, including traffic, multimodal, safety, environment, and engineering evaluations. After technical analysis and gathering public input relating to challenges and opportunities in the I-29/I-35/U.S. 169 corridors, the alternatives (a set of potential scenarios) were narrowed down from seven to three.
The three recommended alternatives - scenarios five, six and seven - rose to the top because they provide a high level of traffic performance, address safety concerns in the project limits, address MoDOT’s asset preservation needs and provide the greatest opportunity to improve bicycle and pedestrian crossings of the freeways.
“The I-29/35/U.S. 169 PEL study has helped MoDOT understand needs and narrow down solutions that will best address the growth in the region. These scenarios will be carried into the next phase of environmental evaluation, where they will be prioritized even further,” said Ben McCabe, MoDOT area engineer for Platte, Clay, and Ray counties.
The I-29/I-35/U.S. 169 PEL Study is designed to better understand the existing and future traffic, safety, and assets of the I-29/I-35/U.S. 169 corridors. MoDOT anticipates incorporating recommendations made as part of the PEL study into future National Environmental Policy Act studies, per Title 23 of the U.S. Code, Part 168.
Following the public meeting, a self-guided virtual presentation and an online survey are available on the project webpage at https://www.modot.org/i-29i-35us-169-corridor-study. The online meeting and comment opportunity will close on Friday, April 28, 2023.
“Public feedback is critical throughout the process and we encourage people to weigh in by taking the online survey before it closes,” said Juan Yin, P.E., KC District planning manager for MoDOT.
The Planning and Environmental Linkages Study of the I-29/I-35/U.S. 169 corridors is to develop both short-term and long-term alternatives to improve safety for travelers, reduce congestion including heavy truck traffic, address pavement and bridge conditions, and position the area for future transportation needs. The project study area includes three highly trafficked highways in the Kansas City metropolitan area that extend through parts of Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties. In conjunction with MoDOT, the project team is developing both short-term and long-term alternatives for highway improvements. Learn more at https://www.modot.org/i-29i-35us-169-corridor-study
Contact the project team by email at KC_I35_I29_Corridor@Modot.mo.gov or phone 816-216-6571. MoDOT Kansas City maintains more than 7,000 miles of state roadway in nine counties. For more information about MoDOT news, projects or events, please visit http://www.modot.mo.gov/kansascity. For instant updates, follow MoDOT_KC on Twitter, or share posts and comments on our Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoDOT.KansasCity. Sign up online for work zone updates or call 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636).
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