A connected city has the physical infrastructure to get people where they want to go safely, conveniently and in an accessible, inviting way. Connected cities enable people of different backgrounds to connect. They increase access to opportunities. They also mitigate the harms of physical barriers such as highways, which have, in the past, displaced and disconnected low-income households and minorities more than other groups. All of these are ways connected cities promote equity.
A well-connected city typically has a highly connected street system with blocks scaled for walking and connections to adjacent neighborhoods and districts. Kansas City has followed this pattern in many neighborhoods with an interconnected grid of streets and alleys that form small, walkable blocks. These blocks are the foundation for walkable developments and, in general, promote circulation and mobility for all residents.
But as development patterns have shifted over time, highways and other vehicle-oriented developments have been favored over creating connection points in communities. Some Kansas City communities have even seen connection points removed, or not built at all. The result is less connectivity for all modes of travel across the city. The city needs to reinforce the street grid as the preferred standard development pattern. The city must also improve street connectivity where it has been reduced or lacking, by retrofitting development if necessary.
The backbone of the street grid is the city’s corridors, the physical and cultural pathways that link people, neighborhoods, and community anchors. They often have a recognizable, unique character. These might be dense urban pathways for walking and public transit or suburban and natural settings where people can reach trails and outdoor recreation, for example. Corridors must be interconnected to support overall connectivity and mobility in the city. The city must maximize the benefits of corridors by maintaining and improving existing corridor connections; seeking development and multimodal transportation opportunities in these corridors; and creating links between employment, housing, and leisure activities.
Wayfinding, the network of signs, maps, and other geographic indicators that guide people through the built environment, will be enhanced. Adequate wayfinding can add to the character of each neighborhood and inform people about mobility options, helping them move around the city more efficiently.
Social connections are important, too. The built environment should facilitate opportunities for social interaction. With intentional design and programming of the city’s physical elements, such as public spaces, sidewalks, and adjacent buildings, the city can foster increased social connectedness. Kansas City thrives on the social connections people, neighborhoods, and organizations make through community events, shared history, diverse culture, and amenities (see City Attractions Objective) that bring people together.
A connected city is also a city that has robust communication between its decision-making bodies, both inside and outside the municipal government. Kansas City would greatly benefit from more connections between city departments, regional agencies, neighborhood leaders, economic development groups, and Kansas Citians in general.
This Objective lays a path to rebuild and enhance existing connections in Kansas City by improving street connectivity, removing physical barriers, establishing connecting corridors, standardizing wayfinding, and improving social connectivity in new neighborhoods.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS |
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If this Objective is successfully completed, Kansas City will be physically and socially connected, both within individual neighborhoods and citywide. Distances between crossings of major physical barriers will be shorter. Walkable, inviting streetscapes will span multiple blocks and neighborhoods. New development will not create or continue physical and social barriers; it will integrate with the surrounding neighborhood. Universal Design principles will make the city easier to navigate for people with varying physical abilities. The city will be easy to navigate and explore, with many viable routes for all modes of travel.
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- Increase in accessibility for people of all ages and physical abilities
- More interaction within neighborhoods and between different communities
- Increase in property values near historic physical barriers
- More walking and biking
- Fewer pedestrian-involved incidents on highways
Complete communities are the result of integrated land use, economic development, and transportation planning efforts. The option to walk or bike to daily destinations provides individual quality of life benefits and societal economic and environmental benefits. Equitable access to commercial and public amenities is possible with intentional planning and economic development efforts.
For more context, click HERE
MEASURES OF SUCCESS |
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- Pedestrian crossing distance between major barriers (decrease)
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Improve street connectivity in existing neighborhoods and provide high connectivity in new developments |
Throughout Kansas City, there are opportunities to improve the street grid and increase connectivity, both in existing neighborhoods and new development. New connections could include bridging two close cul-de-sacs in a suburban subdivision or creating pedestrianized alleyways in urban areas. New connections should focus on people walking or biking. Greenfield development in Kansas City also should have better standards for connectivity and walkability. As new development is planned and platted, a system of arterial and collector grids should help establish connections throughout the city. Adjacent subdivisions, whether platted by the same developer or not, should have frequent connections to neighboring streets to enable shorter walks. |
Identify and remove barriers to connectivity |
Area and corridor planning is a chance to analyze the street network and talk to residents and stakeholders about physical and perceived barriers in their community. Identifying these barriers is the first step to addressing them. Planning and Public Works staff should collaborate with community members to prioritize which barriers to mitigate based on the cost of the project and the benefit it can provide. These projects could be large capital projects (i.e., a pedestrian bridge over railroad tracks) or lower cost, systemic improvements (i.e., adding leading pedestrian intervals at traffic signals). |
Link transportation connections with cultural and social connections |
How public and private spaces are designed influences how people interact. The city should construct public spaces and incentivize private developments to be built in a way that honors cultural heritage and the shared experience of living in Kansas City and strengthens social bonds. Pedestrian spaces along city streets are powerful tools to increase connectivity. These areas are ideal places for people to interact, for public art, and for other opportunities to connect people to each other and with the city overall. Creating code based on building forms and architectural guidelines designed to preserve a neighborhood’s specific character can complete neighborhood and citywide connections by bringing the character of private properties into the public realm (see the Historic Preservation, Parks and Open Spaces, and Quality Development Objectives). Using the citywide Transportation Master Plan and area planning processes, the city should plan for multimodal access, identify corridors that connect people to major destinations, and connect areas with limited transportation. When designing a street or public space, the city should look at both transportation and social/cultural connections and talk about them with members of the communities where improvements are being made. Corridors can take many forms. They might be major transit corridors such as the city’s streetcar system, Troost MAX, or Prospect MAX. They might be streams and greenways such as the Brush Creek Trail. Or they might be cultural or historic corridors such as the African American Heritage Trail. Physical infrastructure, private development, branding, and wayfinding all can establish and reinforce a connecting corridor. |
Develop regional and district-specific wayfinding |
Wayfinding is signage and other geographic indicators that help users navigate to their destination. It’s most useful in dense, high-activity areas or places likely to attract new visitors (and it can be especially helpful for people visiting a destination for the first time). It can be a sign at a transit stop pointing the way to a landmark, a map on a bike trail showing the way to nearby restaurants, or a street sign noting the location of a parking garage a few blocks away. Wayfinding can use physical signs, printed materials, and online and mobile navigation, or it can integrate with existing navigation apps. Another strength of effective wayfinding is that it can connect people to the culture and history of an area, especially if it incorporates historical information or art. District wayfinding systems should highlight and enhance communities' individual culture but also be integrated into the uniform city-wide network of wayfinding systems. |
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COMMUNITY SUPPORTED ACTIONS (CSAs) |
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Improve street connectivity in existing neighborhoods and provide high connectivity in new developments |
CN-1 | Restore the street grid or close gaps in it. Use opportunities to create, improve, and restore street connectivity in conjunction with area planning, new development, and capital projects. When it can’t create street connections, the city will pursue alternative connections that pedestrians, bicyclists, or transit users can use. |
CN-2 | Maintain city ownership of streets by discouraging and avoiding street and alley vacations. |
CN-3 | Ensure that streets in new development are connected to adjacent areas with as many connections as is feasible. Connections should provide pedestrian and bicycle access. Connectivity should be measured and regulated using a maximum block size (scaled to be appropriate for the context of the area) and maximum distance between street connections. |
CN-4 | Update the Major Street Plan and Area Plans to identify and establish a system of through arterial and collector streets with frequent multimodal connections. Ensure that new development incorporates these through streets. |
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Identify and remove barriers to connectivity |
CN-5 | Identify barriers and priority locations to mitigate these barriers. The area planning process and other citywide transportation plans can be used to identify network connectivity gaps. |
CN-6 | Improve connections across barriers like railroads, highways, rivers, or other features. Particularly in places with existing connections (for example, highway underpasses or overpasses), ensure that connections are accessible to all modes. Prioritize new or enhanced connections in areas that have been historically disinvested, where barriers have had a disproportionate impact. |
CN-7 | Improve pedestrian crossings on major streets to the level of service recommended in the Kansas City Walkability Plan. Improve these crossings as new development occurs and as street improvements are implemented. Focus on crossings that provide access to transit stops or schools. Prioritize locations identified in area plans and other plans. Neighborhoods should use the walkability assessment tool in the Walkability Plan to identify priority locations and request improvements. |
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|
Link transportation connections with cultural and social connections |
CN-8 | Create strategies for connecting and improving corridors during area plan processes. Plans should reinforce the corridor’s strengths, increase the diversity of uses, and recognize the unique character of each corridor. For public improvements in corridors, create streetscape design guidelines within the Development Form and Context Guidelines (see Quality Development Objective). |
CN-9 | Implement streetscape plans and street improvements by focusing on corridor streets that connect activity centers. Streetscape improvements should be identified and prioritized during the area planning process. |
CN-10 | Initiate special assessments or other district-level funding through community or neighborhood improvement districts, or other mechanisms that can help fund corridor improvements and maintenance.
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Develop regional and district-specific wayfinding |
CN-11 | Within an area plan or other appropriate process, engage the community to identify areas that are a priority for wayfinding systems. Focus on busy activity centers or areas with large numbers of visitors. Create new wayfinding plans where needed, focusing on regional-scale efforts and district scale wayfinding programs. Wayfinding signage should have elements and information that are consistent across the region but also distinct within a district or corridor. Wayfinding should be designed to work for all users, regardless of transportation mode or physical ability.
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CN-12 | Incorporate digital and smart city tools into a wayfinding strategy, using existing platforms where possible, to enhance wayfinding within a corridor. |
CN-13 | Incorporate enhancements that reflect local culture and history into wayfinding improvements, to reinforce a sense of place for visitors.
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- Cultural Amenities
- Desirable Place
- History and Heritage
- KC Uniqueness
- Livable Neighborhoods and Diverse Housing
- Mobility Options
- Physical Beauty
- Walkable, Clean, and Safe
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Citywide Accessibility Complete Communities Inclusive Design Welcoming Spaces
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Related Plans and Policies |
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A connected city has the physical infrastructure to get people where they want to go safely, conveniently and in an accessible, inviting way. Connected cities enable people of different backgrounds to connect. They increase access to opportunities. They also mitigate the harms of physical barriers such as highways, which have, in the past, displaced and disconnected low-income households and minorities more than other groups. All of these are ways connected cities promote equity.
A well-connected city typically has a highly connected street system with blocks scaled for walking and connections to adjacent neighborhoods and districts. Kansas City has followed this pattern in many neighborhoods with an interconnected grid of streets and alleys that form small, walkable blocks. These blocks are the foundation for walkable developments and, in general, promote circulation and mobility for all residents.
But as development patterns have shifted over time, highways and other vehicle-oriented developments have been favored over creating connection points in communities. Some Kansas City communities have even seen connection points removed, or not built at all. The result is less connectivity for all modes of travel across the city. The city needs to reinforce the street grid as the preferred standard development pattern. The city must also improve street connectivity where it has been reduced or lacking, by retrofitting development if necessary.
The backbone of the street grid is the city’s corridors, the physical and cultural pathways that link people, neighborhoods, and community anchors. They often have a recognizable, unique character. These might be dense urban pathways for walking and public transit or suburban and natural settings where people can reach trails and outdoor recreation, for example. Corridors must be interconnected to support overall connectivity and mobility in the city. The city must maximize the benefits of corridors by maintaining and improving existing corridor connections; seeking development and multimodal transportation opportunities in these corridors; and creating links between employment, housing, and leisure activities.
Wayfinding, the network of signs, maps, and other geographic indicators that guide people through the built environment, will be enhanced. Adequate wayfinding can add to the character of each neighborhood and inform people about mobility options, helping them move around the city more efficiently.
Social connections are important, too. The built environment should facilitate opportunities for social interaction. With intentional design and programming of the city’s physical elements, such as public spaces, sidewalks, and adjacent buildings, the city can foster increased social connectedness. Kansas City thrives on the social connections people, neighborhoods, and organizations make through community events, shared history, diverse culture, and amenities (see City Attractions Objective) that bring people together.
A connected city is also a city that has robust communication between its decision-making bodies, both inside and outside the municipal government. Kansas City would greatly benefit from more connections between city departments, regional agencies, neighborhood leaders, economic development groups, and Kansas Citians in general.
This Objective lays a path to rebuild and enhance existing connections in Kansas City by improving street connectivity, removing physical barriers, establishing connecting corridors, standardizing wayfinding, and improving social connectivity in new neighborhoods.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS |
|
If this Objective is successfully completed, Kansas City will be physically and socially connected, both within individual neighborhoods and citywide. Distances between crossings of major physical barriers will be shorter. Walkable, inviting streetscapes will span multiple blocks and neighborhoods. New development will not create or continue physical and social barriers; it will integrate with the surrounding neighborhood. Universal Design principles will make the city easier to navigate for people with varying physical abilities. The city will be easy to navigate and explore, with many viable routes for all modes of travel.
|
- Increase in accessibility for people of all ages and physical abilities
- More interaction within neighborhoods and between different communities
- Increase in property values near historic physical barriers
- More walking and biking
- Fewer pedestrian-involved incidents on highways
Complete communities are the result of integrated land use, economic development, and transportation planning efforts. The option to walk or bike to daily destinations provides individual quality of life benefits and societal economic and environmental benefits. Equitable access to commercial and public amenities is possible with intentional planning and economic development efforts.
For more context, click HERE
MEASURES OF SUCCESS |
|
- Pedestrian crossing distance between major barriers (decrease)
|
|
Improve street connectivity in existing neighborhoods and provide high connectivity in new developments |
Throughout Kansas City, there are opportunities to improve the street grid and increase connectivity, both in existing neighborhoods and new development. New connections could include bridging two close cul-de-sacs in a suburban subdivision or creating pedestrianized alleyways in urban areas. New connections should focus on people walking or biking. Greenfield development in Kansas City also should have better standards for connectivity and walkability. As new development is planned and platted, a system of arterial and collector grids should help establish connections throughout the city. Adjacent subdivisions, whether platted by the same developer or not, should have frequent connections to neighboring streets to enable shorter walks. |
Identify and remove barriers to connectivity |
Area and corridor planning is a chance to analyze the street network and talk to residents and stakeholders about physical and perceived barriers in their community. Identifying these barriers is the first step to addressing them. Planning and Public Works staff should collaborate with community members to prioritize which barriers to mitigate based on the cost of the project and the benefit it can provide. These projects could be large capital projects (i.e., a pedestrian bridge over railroad tracks) or lower cost, systemic improvements (i.e., adding leading pedestrian intervals at traffic signals). |
Link transportation connections with cultural and social connections |
How public and private spaces are designed influences how people interact. The city should construct public spaces and incentivize private developments to be built in a way that honors cultural heritage and the shared experience of living in Kansas City and strengthens social bonds. Pedestrian spaces along city streets are powerful tools to increase connectivity. These areas are ideal places for people to interact, for public art, and for other opportunities to connect people to each other and with the city overall. Creating code based on building forms and architectural guidelines designed to preserve a neighborhood’s specific character can complete neighborhood and citywide connections by bringing the character of private properties into the public realm (see the Historic Preservation, Parks and Open Spaces, and Quality Development Objectives). Using the citywide Transportation Master Plan and area planning processes, the city should plan for multimodal access, identify corridors that connect people to major destinations, and connect areas with limited transportation. When designing a street or public space, the city should look at both transportation and social/cultural connections and talk about them with members of the communities where improvements are being made. Corridors can take many forms. They might be major transit corridors such as the city’s streetcar system, Troost MAX, or Prospect MAX. They might be streams and greenways such as the Brush Creek Trail. Or they might be cultural or historic corridors such as the African American Heritage Trail. Physical infrastructure, private development, branding, and wayfinding all can establish and reinforce a connecting corridor. |
Develop regional and district-specific wayfinding |
Wayfinding is signage and other geographic indicators that help users navigate to their destination. It’s most useful in dense, high-activity areas or places likely to attract new visitors (and it can be especially helpful for people visiting a destination for the first time). It can be a sign at a transit stop pointing the way to a landmark, a map on a bike trail showing the way to nearby restaurants, or a street sign noting the location of a parking garage a few blocks away. Wayfinding can use physical signs, printed materials, and online and mobile navigation, or it can integrate with existing navigation apps. Another strength of effective wayfinding is that it can connect people to the culture and history of an area, especially if it incorporates historical information or art. District wayfinding systems should highlight and enhance communities' individual culture but also be integrated into the uniform city-wide network of wayfinding systems. |
|
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED ACTIONS (CSAs) |
|
|
Improve street connectivity in existing neighborhoods and provide high connectivity in new developments |
CN-1 | Restore the street grid or close gaps in it. Use opportunities to create, improve, and restore street connectivity in conjunction with area planning, new development, and capital projects. When it can’t create street connections, the city will pursue alternative connections that pedestrians, bicyclists, or transit users can use. |
CN-2 | Maintain city ownership of streets by discouraging and avoiding street and alley vacations. |
CN-3 | Ensure that streets in new development are connected to adjacent areas with as many connections as is feasible. Connections should provide pedestrian and bicycle access. Connectivity should be measured and regulated using a maximum block size (scaled to be appropriate for the context of the area) and maximum distance between street connections. |
CN-4 | Update the Major Street Plan and Area Plans to identify and establish a system of through arterial and collector streets with frequent multimodal connections. Ensure that new development incorporates these through streets. |
|
|
Identify and remove barriers to connectivity |
CN-5 | Identify barriers and priority locations to mitigate these barriers. The area planning process and other citywide transportation plans can be used to identify network connectivity gaps. |
CN-6 | Improve connections across barriers like railroads, highways, rivers, or other features. Particularly in places with existing connections (for example, highway underpasses or overpasses), ensure that connections are accessible to all modes. Prioritize new or enhanced connections in areas that have been historically disinvested, where barriers have had a disproportionate impact. |
CN-7 | Improve pedestrian crossings on major streets to the level of service recommended in the Kansas City Walkability Plan. Improve these crossings as new development occurs and as street improvements are implemented. Focus on crossings that provide access to transit stops or schools. Prioritize locations identified in area plans and other plans. Neighborhoods should use the walkability assessment tool in the Walkability Plan to identify priority locations and request improvements. |
|
|
Link transportation connections with cultural and social connections |
CN-8 | Create strategies for connecting and improving corridors during area plan processes. Plans should reinforce the corridor’s strengths, increase the diversity of uses, and recognize the unique character of each corridor. For public improvements in corridors, create streetscape design guidelines within the Development Form and Context Guidelines (see Quality Development Objective). |
CN-9 | Implement streetscape plans and street improvements by focusing on corridor streets that connect activity centers. Streetscape improvements should be identified and prioritized during the area planning process. |
CN-10 | Initiate special assessments or other district-level funding through community or neighborhood improvement districts, or other mechanisms that can help fund corridor improvements and maintenance.
|
|
|
Develop regional and district-specific wayfinding |
CN-11 | Within an area plan or other appropriate process, engage the community to identify areas that are a priority for wayfinding systems. Focus on busy activity centers or areas with large numbers of visitors. Create new wayfinding plans where needed, focusing on regional-scale efforts and district scale wayfinding programs. Wayfinding signage should have elements and information that are consistent across the region but also distinct within a district or corridor. Wayfinding should be designed to work for all users, regardless of transportation mode or physical ability.
|
CN-12 | Incorporate digital and smart city tools into a wayfinding strategy, using existing platforms where possible, to enhance wayfinding within a corridor. |
CN-13 | Incorporate enhancements that reflect local culture and history into wayfinding improvements, to reinforce a sense of place for visitors.
|
|
|
- Cultural Amenities
- Desirable Place
- History and Heritage
- KC Uniqueness
- Livable Neighborhoods and Diverse Housing
- Mobility Options
- Physical Beauty
- Walkable, Clean, and Safe
|
|
Citywide Accessibility Complete Communities Inclusive Design Welcoming Spaces
|
Related Plans and Policies |
|
|
|
|
