Nov

2

A bridge to Lidia’s

November 2, 2005 | 4 Comments

Downtown planners and boosters have talked for years about a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks between Union Station and the Freighthouse building, home of Lidia’s, City Tavern, and Jack Stack BBQ. The plan dates back to 2000 and was one of the orignal projects Mayor Barnes’ initiatives for the River-Crown-Plaza corridor.

The Star reports that the bridge is now on the way. An old railroad bridge will be moved from the riverfront under the Broadway Bridge south to Union Station, where it will house a train-like enclosure linking the station’s north waiting room with the restaurants, shops, and lofts to the north. Moving the huge structure that will require the dismantling of power lines and street lights along Grand Blvd, probably sometime in January 2006. The bridge is scheduled to open to the public in time for May’s First Friday gallery crawl.

While this does sound like a cool idea and a great reuse of an abandoned bridge, we do wonder if it’s the best use of limited money. Especially when just a few yards east of this site the Main Street viaduct crosses the same tracks, complete with a protected pedestrian walkway. How much money could we save by sprucing up and promoting the existing facility?

Categories: Downtown


Comments

4 Comments so far

  1. DaveKCMO on November 2, 2005 1:50 pm

    I walk to Union Station on occasion from my loft in the Crossroads, and this bridge would be most convenient. There are hundreds of people that live (and work) in the area just north of the tracks and west of the freighthouse building who would rather cross this bridge than zig-zag all the way over to Main.

    I do see your point about using the money to improve the walking experience along Main. The storefronts south of 20th Street are a complete embarrassment and are enough to drive even the most brave urbanite back to their car.

  2. Tim on November 7, 2005 12:22 pm

    The bridge will be a great thing! It will allow First Friday parking at Union Station and create more foot traffic there as well. It will end up being worth every penny, and will also allow visitors to town a way to avoid the blight on Main just north of the viaduct (which must and eventually will be torn down).

  3. BlogKC - News, info, politics, and more from Kansas City, Missouri. on January 13, 2006 2:46 pm

    [...] BlogKC: A bridge to Lidia’s [...]

  4. cook on January 13, 2006 3:35 pm

    Tim, I disagree that blight must be torn down. A little TLC would go a long way. It is just a matter of time, I think. Look at the galleries and shops in the crossroads that were “blight” just years ago. Imagine if those had been torn down. We have plenty of surface lots (wayy too many) where development can infill thoss spaces before tearing down any more of KC’s building stock.

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