I had the misfortune of driving over to the Shoppes at Burlington Creek Thursday and saw just how bad the traffic delay is trying to go east under I-29 with construction underway.
With a federal grant targeted for pedestian connections, Platte County is connecting the 64th Street trail (official name Southern Platte Pass) to the east side of I-29 so that people can actually cross I-29 from one side to the other without having to bike/walk in the road. The project also includes a sidewalk to the bus stop that today is only accessed by parking near the IHOP™ and the Mazatlan Mexican restaurant and climbing down the cliff to Prairie View and waiting in the mud by the blue ATA signpost.
Since the project is all on state right of way and underneath an interstate, the lane closures and restrictions are what they are. The main reason for the closure is the excavation underneath the bridge and removing the exposed rock on the south side of Route 45. The official notice is on the Platte County Parks and Recreation website.
MEGA Industries of North Kansas City is the contractor for the project. The project will be substantially complete by August according to the contractor's schedule. MEGA Industries is the same contractor that completed the widening of Barry Road underneath I-29 in 2005 and the 5 month long widening of Barry Road from I-29 to St. Lukes which was completed in 2010. They have experience in getting important projects done fast.
Platte County Commissioner Kathy Dusenberry has to drive through this everyday so you can take some solace in the fact that she has to suffer with the rest of us.
This is an important link in the Platte County trails system (40 year plan). The new paved sidewalk will also greatly help those who ride the bus. Too bad that they can not use some kind of ecologically friendly earth mat for the sidewalk and bus stop. Something that could be reused and re-purposed somewhere else.
As I understand it, after the completion of the future realignment of Prairie View Road (on top of Chatham RD), all of sidewalk and bus stop improvements on Prairie View RD will be torn up and destroyed.
Unfortunately, the construction of these needed links has resulted in nasty traffic jams, due to the lane closures. I got caught in it the first day that they closed down the south half of the eastbound Tom Watson Parkway. What a mess that was. Never again. I am now using Highway 9 to access the Interstate.
I am praying for good weather and that the contractor will soon qualify for an early completion reward.
Sincerely,
Ken Eagle
The Platte County Skeptic & Curmudgeon
Posted by: A Facebook User | 04/25/2012 at 02:20 PM