SECOND COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR RESOLUTION NO. 090622

Expressing the City Councils support for improvements by the Missouri Department of Transportation to the I-435 and I-70 Interchange, and support for keeping the Manchester Interchange at I-70 open while all parties work to find a means to keep the interchange open permanently.

WHEREAS, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) proposes to use Federal Highway Stimulus dollars for improvement to the I-435 and I-70 Interchange in Kansas City, Missouri; and

WHEREAS, the City of Kansas City recognizes that these interchange improvements are needed and will address important safety and transportation issues at said interchange; and

WHEREAS, MoDOT initiated the I-435 Major Investments Study in 1997 and the I-70 Major Investments Study in 2004, both of which recommended that the Manchester Interchange remain open, recognized the proximity of the Manchester Interchange to the I-435 Interchange, and expressed significant concerns about the economic impacts of closing the Manchester Interchange notwithstanding that it did not meet current interchange design standards; and

WHEREAS, MoDOT initiated the 2009 Access Justification Study in which, according to a traffic analysis by the engineering firm of Cook, Flatt & Strobel, it does not appear the level of service on I-70 and the weave, merge areas are impacted by the traffic from the Manchester Interchange ramps; and

WHEREAS, a traffic analysis by the Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineering Firm, determined, after reviewing traffic data, that the Manchester ramps had negligible impact on the levels of operational capacity and safety on I-70; and

WHEREAS, the Manchester Interchange meets the requirements for level of service set forth by the Missouri Department of Transportation Engineering Policy Guide in the peak hours of operation for an urban setting; and

WHEREAS, closing the Manchester Interchange would detour additional traffic, including heavy trucks to Raytown Road, Stadium Drive, and US Highway 40, which routes have a number of substandard features, including narrow lanes, inadequate bridge clearance for trucks, inadequate site distance, and a substandard interchange at I-70 and US Highway 40, and these roads would experience degradation in capacity and operational safety with the added truck traffic; and

WHEREAS, the City of Kansas City, Missouri has received a letter from the Blue Valley Association which includes many businesses in the area of the Manchester Interchange whose business viability and economic success depend on the Manchester Interchange ramps remaining open; and

WHEREAS, the City of Kansas City and the Federal Government have spent over $300 million dollars in flood control and other public improvements in the Blue Valley area in order to create jobs, and spur economic redevelopment and new development; and

WHEREAS, the continued economic success of the Blue Valley businesses which represents 4,100 companies is critical to the future of Kansas City, Missouri; and

WHEREAS, the businesses in the Manchester Trafficway area represent over $92 million in private economic investment, with over 66,000 employees and payrolls of over $46 million, are vital to the Kansas City, Missouri economic engine and tax base and cannot be easily, if ever, replaced; and

WHEREAS, it is critical that the Manchester Interchange along I-70 remain open to serve the businesses and traffic needs of this area; and

WHEREAS, MoDOT, representatives of affected businesses, and others have held discussions on whether the Manchester Interchange along I-70 could remain open while the parties work cooperatively to find a means by which the interchange will remain open permanently; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

Section 1. That the City of Kansas City, Missouri supports improving the I-435/I-70 Interchange, but opposes the proposed closing of the Manchester Interchange at I-70 as part of these improvements.

Section 2. That the City of Kansas City, Missouri strongly encourages MoDOT to keep the interchange open while MoDOT, affected businesses, and others work cooperatively to find a means by which the interchange will remain open permanently.

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