NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The new bike lanes on Armour Road are complete, but many people aren't happy with the design.
Don Ferguson, who stopped by the post office on Armour Road Monday, described the redesign as a mess.
"Your (car) door opens directly out into the traffic, and so you have to be very aware of the fact whether or not a car is coming," Ferguson said.
North Kansas City recently installed new bike lanes, traffic islands and turn lanes between Ozark and Fayette streets along its main drag in efforts to make it safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. The changes come after years of discussion.
"It's been a nightmare, to be quite honest,” said Meribeth Boone, who works at the Mop Bucket, a store near Armour Road and Iron Street.
Boone said she’s heard her fair share of complaints from customers stopping by the Mop Bucket.
"I've even had bikers, avid bicyclists, come in and say they won't ride on this road because it's dangerous," Boone said. "And now that they've put these pillars up there's no really place for them to go. You can't pull over; you can't even get over for emergency vehicles."
In one instance, 41 Action News observed a driver park on the bike lane as an officer conducted a traffic stop.
The situation has led Boone to start a petition.
"So every customer that comes literally signs their name and tells us their thoughts about what they've done to our road," Boone said.
When asked about the concerns, city leaders said that it may take people some time to get used to the changes.
"Change is difficult," said Kim Nakahodo, the assistant city administrator for North Kansas City.
Nakahodo said a period of adjustment needs to take place.
"Motorists have a challenge because they do have changes within their patterns," Nakahodo said.
The city plans to have conversation with the public in the future to hear feedback.
"They need to return our road back to the way it was," Boone said.
A date hasn't been set yet for that public input meeting.
