A recently revealed early-stages conceptual plan for Overland Park’s 79th Street corridor shows a future with various potential enhancements to protect pedestrians and bicyclists.
These recommendations were presented in a public open house meeting earlier this month, and follow months of studying how to make a roughly 2.5-mile chunk of 79th Street and the surrounding area more accessible and safe for people on foot and on bikes.
The 79th Street Corridor Plan — which has yet to be approved — focuses on the 79th Street corridor between the I-35 frontage road and Lamar Avenue, as well as some of the surrounding side streets.
What is a corridor plan?
- Communities use corridor plans and other similar studies to inventory transportation infrastructure, some needs in a defined area and potential improvements.
- In the past, the city has implemented large-scale plans, like Vision Metcalf, as well as more comparable focused studies, like the Merriam Connected Corridor Plan.
- These studies don’t automatically trigger changes in a studied area, but they do more generally serve as a guide for future development and infrastructure projects over time.
- This particular study is part of the Mid-America Regional Council’s Planning Sustainable Places initiative.
“Bike boulevard” proposed for 79th Street corridor
One of the main proposals in the conceptual plan is a “bike boulevard” located on 80th Street between Grant Street and Lamar Avenue.
A chief reason identified as to why this road would be a good fit for such an enhancement is because it already has traffic calming mechanisms deployed, like lower speed limits and medians. That being said, additional unspecified traffic calming tools are recommended.
The “bike boulevard” would be marked with wayfinding signs, both posted and painted markings on pavement.
Other improvements possible along the corridor
- The conceptual plan proposes improving the visibility of crosswalks all along 79th and 80th streets.
- It also suggests extending the curb and/or making the turn radius tighter at 78th Street and Metcalf Avenue.
- Plus, the plan proposes raising the intersection to slow speeds at 80th and Lowell Avenue as well as 79th and Santa Fe Drive.
- Additionally, more complete sidewalk connections all along 79th and a shared use path are suggested.
- Other recommendations are to add a traffic circle at Glenwood Drive and 79th, to implement reverse angled parking south of Santa Fe on 79th, and to reduce the speed limit on 79th Street between the frontage road and Grant Lane.
Next steps:
- A recent round of online public feedback wrapped up in mid-May.
- Before the corridor plan takes effect, it has to go to the Overland Park City Council for approval first.
- Later, Overland Park is expected to have an engineering study for the corridor, which could lay out recommendations and identify implementation priorities.
- After that, the city could decide to add projects to the five-year capital improvement plan list for future years.
Looking back: Overland Park to study safety, accessibility on 79th Street
