NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The new bike lanes on Armour Road in North Kansas City were designed to make it safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, but the new lanes are having an unintended consequence - they are dividing the community.
"It's a safety measure for North Kansas City," avid cyclist Kathy West said.
"It's been a nightmare to be quite honest," Meribeth Boone said.
North Kansas City recently installed new bike lanes, traffic islands, and turn lanes between Ozark and Fayette streets along its main drag. The change comes after years of discussion.
Boone created a petition and collected hundreds of signatures opposing the re-design. Her petition asks city council to change the road back to they way it was.
But it's not the only petition in town.
On Saturday dozens of North Kansas City residents gathered at Velo Garage to sign a counter petition, asking city council to give the re-design time.
"It's a safety measure for North Kansas City. We have a high school, we have small splash park that backs up to Armour Road," West said. "I want it to be safe for everyone."
"If you want to get on a bike but are not comfortable riding in traffic, having that buffer really helps," said Ryan Mott, who has now become a regular cyclist.
The city plans to have a conversation with the public to hear feedback. To learn more on the project, visit the city's website.
