Building a Brighter Future
The Reconnecting the Westside project focused on restoring connections within the Westside neighborhood, addressing historic challenges caused by the construction of I-35 and I-670.
Led by Kansas City, in partnership with MoDOT, this project represents a unique opportunity to build a safer, more connected, and inclusive future for the Westside community. Together, we can brainstorm solutions that bridge physical, economic, and social divides, ensuring that the voices of residents, businesses, and community leaders shape the way forward.
Supported by a $1 million Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant, this effort prioritizes inclusive planning, safety, equity, and long-term community benefits. This is about more than infrastructure — it’s about healing the past, listening to the present, and building a better future.
Get Involved
We want to hear from you! We need your input to ensure the project reflects the needs of impacted neighborhoods and corridor users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please use the dropdown arrows below to see frequently asked project questions.
If you don’t see your question here, we invite you to contact our project team.
The Reconnecting the Westside project aims to develop solutions with the Westside neighborhood, to address the historical and ongoing impacts of I-35 and I-670 construction.
Funded by a $1 million Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant, the project seeks to reconnect neighborhoods, enhance transportation safety, and foster equity and sustainability.
The Reconnecting the Westside project prioritizes inclusive engagement, by actively seeking input from all members of the community, with particular attention to historically underrepresented and disadvantaged groups.
Engagement efforts are designed to meet people where they are and ensure accessibility through:
- Diverse Engagement Methods: Hosting Community Visioning Sessions, Neighborhood Listening Meetings, and pop-up events at convenient, familiar locations.
- Language Accessibility: Providing materials and events in both English and Spanish, with translation and interpretation services available as needed.
- Community Ambassadors: Hiring local ambassadors who understand the community’s needs to foster trust, conduct outreach, and gather input.
- Online and Asynchronous Tools: Offering digital surveys, interactive maps, and comment forms for those unable to attend in-person events.
This project aims to co-create solutions with the community by listening to their stories, identifying their needs, and reflecting their values and priorities in every phase of planning and development. Feedback gathered through these efforts will directly inform project strategies and recommendations.
The Reconnecting the Westside project is funded through a combination of federal and local resources. A $1 million grant from the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, supports the project’s Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study and community engagement efforts.
Additional funding is provided by Kansas City. Federal, state, and regional agencies will also participate in the study, providing technical assistance and guidance. These resources enable the project team to work collaboratively with the community to develop solutions that address safety, connectivity, and equity.
Future phases, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and design implementation, will occur after completion of the PEL Study and will require securing additional funding through federal grants and other financing options.
The Reconnecting the Westside project is essential to address the long-standing impacts of I-35 and I-670, which divided neighborhoods, displaced families, and created significant barriers to community connectivity. The construction of these highways led to the loss of homes, businesses, and generational wealth, disproportionately affecting historically disadvantaged communities.
Today, the infrastructure is aging, with sections like the I-35 viaduct nearing the end of their useful life. These conditions present safety concerns for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, while limited crossings create mobility challenges for residents.
The project is also an opportunity to reimagine the neighborhood with equity, sustainability, and community-driven solutions at its core. By addressing historical harms, enhancing connectivity, and creating safer, more inclusive spaces, the project aims to provide information about how best to restore the vibrancy of the Westside and build a foundation for future growth and opportunity.
The Reconnecting the Westside project is managed by Kansas City.
The City is supported by a multidisciplinary consultant team, including WSP, Madison West, Hg Consult, Vireo, PlaceIt!, and other local and regional experts. These partners bring expertise in urban planning, engineering, community engagement, and environmental analysis to ensure the project aligns with community priorities and federal guidelines.
The collaborative approach also involves input from the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), area agencies, and local stakeholders, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive planning process.
The Reconnecting the Westside project focuses on addressing the impacts of I-35 and I-670 through a comprehensive Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study. The study aims to reconnect neighborhoods, improve safety, and foster equitable solutions while collaborating with the community to shape the project’s vision. The PEL will aim to identify reconnection opportunities, which could range in scale and complexity from increasing and improving the number of connections across highways to capping, relocating or removing the highways entirely. Related improvements like streetscape, water infrastructure, and affordable housing could also be implemented along these strategies.
A Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) process used to plan solutions for transportation issues, priorities, and environmental concerns. It is a concept-level, decision-making tool supported by planning analyses. PEL planning activities and analyses include the following: user characteristics, safety, economic benefits, land development, natural and man-made environment, and community engagement.
The Study Areas for this project include the whole of the Westside neighborhood, which is generally defined by I-670 to the North, Broadway Boulevard to the east, 31st Street to the South, and the Westside Bluff and railroad tracks to the west. These limits are subject to change based on the PEL study process.
The project team, working hand in hand with Project Ambassador, is collaborating with:
Community Advisory Group (CAG) of neighborhood representatives, advocates, and others
The broader community will collaborate through multiple engagement opportunities.
Engagement Opportunities:
- Community Summits: Three community visioning sessions will focus on gathering input, developing a shared vision, and refining concepts. These sessions will include interactive tools like maps to help community members visualize and design future alternatives.
- Neighborhood Listening Sessions: Up to 50 meetings will be held with neighborhood groups to gather insights and ensure diverse voices are heard. Meetings will be a mix of in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats to accommodate all participants.
- Pop-Up Meetings: Up to 18 pop-up events will occur at community locations such as schools, libraries, and transit stops. These meetings bring information and engagement opportunities directly to residents in informal settings.
- Key Person Interviews: One-on-one and small group interviews will be conducted with residents, historians, business owners, and other stakeholders to gather detailed feedback and perspectives.
- Community Ambassadors Program: Local ambassadors will support outreach efforts by conducting surveys, facilitating discussions, and assisting with translation and interpretation when needed.
- Project Videos and Storytelling: A series of videos will document the project’s progress, capture community stories, and provide historical context to inform and engage the public.
- Bilingual Outreach: Materials and events will be offered in English and Spanish to ensure accessibility. Certified translators and interpreters will support meetings and materials.
- Interactive Online Tools: The project website will feature surveys, interactive maps, and a comment form to gather input and facilitate two-way communication.
By combining in-person, digital, and multilingual engagement methods, the project ensures all community members have the opportunity to participate and shape the outcomes. Feedback collected through these activities will directly inform the project’s goals, concepts, and implementation strategies.
The community can get involved in this project in a variety of ways:
- Sign up for updates and receive information on this project website to learn more about upcoming Neighborhood Listening Sessions, Community Summits, and other community engagement events.
- Visit the project website for news and announcements at www.ReconnectWestside.com
- Join us at community Neighborhood Listening Sessions that are local neighborhood meetings, and Third and Fifth District meetings when project team members are scheduled to attend and hear your feedback – beginning in January 2025.
- Join the project’s Community Summits that the project team will convene to share more information about the project and seek your input, on all aspects of the project – beginning in 2025.
- Community Summits provide an opportunity for residents to share input, explore design alternatives, and collaborate on solutions. They are critical for ensuring the project reflects community priorities. They are critical for ensuring the project reflects community priorities.
- Follow, share, and stay engaged with us on our social media channels
