A new corridor plan for a stretch of 79th Street and the surrounding area got the required seal of approval.
The new 100-page plan — dubbed the 79th Street Corridor Plan — is only conceptual at this point and makes no concrete recommendations for the 2.5-mile chunk of 79th Street that runs between the Interstate 35 frontage road and Lamar Avenue, passing through downtown Overland Park along the way.
Still, it identifies a series of potential enhancements to protect pedestrians and bicyclists who travel in the high-traffic area, and city staff have suggested it could serve as a guide for future infrastructure and development.
Last week, the Overland Park City Council voted 11-1 to endorse the concept plan for the corridor. Councilmember Melissa Cheatham cast the lone dissenting vote, concerned the plan doesn’t go far enough in making room for street trees.
“There’s a lot of steps ahead of this. This is the aspirational piece,” Councilmember Jim Kite has said about the corridor plan. “It is a great start, and this is the kind of thing we envision for downtown.”
The concept study, which has been in the works since last year, was part of the Mid-America Regional Council’s Planning Sustainable Places initiative.
Read the full concept plan here.
What is the current state of the 79th Street corridor?
The 79th Street corridor includes downtown Overland Park, six city parks, three elementary schools and many residential zones. It’s also seen as an important east-west thoroughfare for the older parts of the city.
At a meeting of the city council’s Community Development Committee earlier this month, Jeff McKerrow, from the firm Kimley-Horn, said there are some points of concern in the corridor today.
One is the inconsistencies throughout for pedestrian and bicycle access with gaps in sidewalks, crossing points and bike lanes.
There are some issues with traffic accidents and collisions in the corridor, as well. There were more than 110 injury accidents documented along that stretch of 79th Street in five years. There’s also very little room to widen roads or add sidewalks and bike lanes.
On top of all that, 79th Street has a high traffic volume — exceeding 4,000 vehicles a day — and has speed limits higher than 30 miles per hour.
“Bike boulevard” a cornerstone of 79th Street plan
- One of the major ideas floated in the newly endorsed conceptual plan is a “bike boulevard” on 80th Street, which already has a lower speed limit and less vehicle traffic.
- Per the plan, it would be located between Grant Street and Lamar Avenue, running parallel to and a block south of 79th Street.
- The bike boulevard would go on top of existing and proposed traffic-calming measures.
- It would also likely hinge on posted and painted wayfinding signs to direct bike traffic.
More improvements are suggested
- The plan also proposes extending the curb and possibly making the turn radius tighter at 78th Street and Metcalf Avenue.
- It also suggests improving the visibility of crosswalks on 79th and 80th streets.
- Plus, more sidewalk connections and a shared use path for pedestrians and bicyclists along 79th are recommended.
- Additionally, the plan identifies intersections at 80th and Lowell Avenue as well as 79th and Santa Fe Drive for traffic calming, including raising the intersection.
- Under the concept plan, reverse-angled parking south of Santa Fe is proposed, as are a smattering of traffic circles primarily on 80th.
- Speed limit reductions on 79th Street are also suggested starting around the frontage road.
- Green infrastructure improvements are pondered in the plan, too, including the addition of more street trees and stormwater work.
What’s next for 79th Street corridor?
- Before any of these suggestions can even be considered, Overland Park would likely need to conduct additional studies in the area, including one focused on preliminary engineering.
- Leslie Karr, the city’s planning director, said that could be added to a future capital improvement plan list.
- It’s unclear exactly how much that would cost or when it might occur.
- Some councilmembers have also expressed an interest in using more grant funding to develop concept plans for other vital corridors in Overland Park down the line.
Looking back: Overland Park to study safety, accessibility on 79th Street
