Balancing Historic Preservation with Modern Transportation Needs
Project Overview
Armour Boulevard is a historic 20-block corridor between Broadway Boulevard and The Paseo. Once home to estate-style mansions built by prominent residents in the late 1800s, the corridor is now primarily lined with apartment buildings and preserved historic homes. As the area began attracting a younger generation of residents, the limited parking along the corridor became increasingly apparent.
In early 2013, the Kansas City Public Works Department enlisted GBA to conduct a comprehensive study of the corridor. GBA collaborated with neighborhood residents to evaluate traffic, perform a road diet analysis and plan bicycle facilities for the corridor.
Traffic and Parking Studies
The study included traffic counts at major signalized intersections along the 20-block stretch of Armour Boulevard. The data gathered during peak commute times revealed vehicle volumes ranging from 6,000 vehicles per day (vpd) on the eastern end of the corridor to 10,000 vpd on the western end. Additionally, parking utilization was assessed on Armour Boulevard and one block north and south of the corridor. The studies involved a detailed parking inventory and an analysis of peak parking usage. The findings confirmed that a road diet, reducing the four-lane street to three lanes, would be appropriate for the corridor, allowing for the introduction of protected bike lanes while maintaining parallel parking on both sides of the street.
Design Process
Based on input from surrounding neighborhoods, the design phase commenced in 2015. In response to community feedback, the city opted for a design that featured fully protected bike lanes. The design included a five-foot-wide bike lane situated between the existing curb and a four-foot-wide buffer zone adjacent to parked vehicles. The design also narrowed the street to two vehicular travel lanes (each 11 feet wide) along intermediate sections, with auxiliary turn lanes provided at major intersections to maintain acceptable traffic flow during peak periods.
Protected Bike Lane Features
The Armour Boulevard project marked the first implementation of parking-protected bike lanes in the Kansas City area. These lanes were designed with several safety-enhancing features:
- Bike Boxes: Located at both ends of the corridor, bike boxes allow cyclists to safely position themselves at intersections with north-south bike routes along Broadway Boulevard and The Paseo.
- Two-Stage Left-Turn Queue Boxes: These boxes assist cyclists in safely making left turns at major intersections by dividing the turn into two stages.
- Mixing Zones: Designated areas where cyclists and right-turning vehicles intersect were marked to raise awareness and reduce potential conflicts.
- Bus Stop Integration: Numerous bus stops were also accommodated in the new design. Several stops were relocated from near-side to far-side positions across intersections to minimize cyclist-vehicle conflicts at critical points.
Challenges
The Armour Boulevard project presented several challenges, primarily due to the diverse interests of stakeholders involved. The project required a careful balance between maintaining adequate parking, ensuring efficient vehicular traffic flow and providing safe, accessible bike lanes. Additionally, the project must comply with Kansas City Parks’ requirements to preserve the boulevard’s historic character. Community engagement played a critical role, leading to multiple design iterations that ultimately satisfied all parties.
Innovative Aspects
This project was the first to feature protected bike lanes in the Kansas City metro area, setting a precedent for future multimodal infrastructure projects in the area. The use of green pavement marking for bike lanes was particularly innovative, enhancing safety and visibility in a manner that has since become a standard practice.
Community Impact
The project profoundly impacted the community by creating a safer and more inviting corridor for cyclists and pedestrians. The redesign led to a 17% reduction in crashes along the boulevard and has spurred further investment in multimodal infrastructure in Kansas City’s historic core.