Updates on Gillham-Trolley Trail Connector projects

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Work is starting soon on Cleaver Boulevard, but Rockhill Road needs your help to get back on track.

The Gillham-Trolley Trail Connector is an opportunity to close the gap between three popular city-wide trail corridors – the Harry Wiggins Trolley Track Trail, the Gillham Road cycle track, and the Brush Creek Trail. 

Cleaver II Boulevard (47th Street)

Thanks to the work of advocates like you who emailed, called, and showed up at meetings, this project is now moving forward! Your voice was heard loud and clear.

Over this past winter and spring, engineers at City Hall worked on design plans and neighborhood outreach. BikeWalkKC provided input along the way to help ensure the final design meets the needs of the people using it.

Plans are being finalized now, and we expect to see a high quality, permanent, and protected facility that extends the Gillham cycle track to Cleaver II Boulevard. It adds protected bike lanes along Cleaver and includes improved pedestrian crossings across it. The design will incorporate community feedback and lessons learned from Gillham Road and other quick-build projects installed in recent years.

UPDATE (7/29/24) Crews have started construction and plan to be finished this fall. Click here to read Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, one of Kansas City’s deadliest streets, is finally getting redesigned (KCUR)

State tuned for details on the timeline, and on a celebration! Once the project is completed, we will call on you one last time to join a “Thank You!” campaign expressing our appreciation to the decision-makers and staff who made it happen. Advocacy is a team sport, and we could not have done this without your help!

Visit the Gillham-Trolley Connector Project page on the City Hall website for official information.

 


Rockhill Road

In fall of 2023, the City started installing a protected cycle track on Rockhill Road. Unfortunately, some of the residents in one of the adjoining neighborhoods expressed strong opposition to the project. Installation was paused for more conversations with those neighbors. 

The current situation is a striped cycle track with no physical barriers or signage. Car drivers continue to use it. BikeWalkKC does not recommend that you bike in this unfinished facility, especially southbound due to potential car traffic. 

City Hall spent the winter and spring refining the design and doing additional outreach with neighbors. As of now, no decision has been made about whether or not to complete the cycle track or to remove the paint currently in place.

If you want to see the cycle track finished on Rockhill Road, please speak up! 

👉 Add your name to our petition, and be sure to share how this project will benefit you and your family. BikeWalkKC will share it with City Hall officials.

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