KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In November, the city partially installed bike lanes on Truman Road in Kansas City, Missouri.
The project stalled and was never completed because of pushback from business owners along the industrial track.
On Wednesday, changes to the bike lanes were passed out of the KCMO Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee.
Next, the full KCMO City Council will vote to remove half of the bike lanes and make additional changes.
“This could have all been avoided just by listening to the public,” said Shawn Arcidino, a business owner on Truman Road.
Businesses owners on Truman Road say the bike lanes caused confusion and issues with parking, loading, snow removal and safety issues.
From the point of contention of the bike lanes, KCMO councilwoman Melissa Robinson has backed constituents in her district, saying the bike lanes weren’t built with public opinion.
“We didn’t have the trust of the business owners, we didn’t have the trust of the people who are most impacted by this infrastructure,” Robinson said.
On Wednesday, a public document from the committee acknowledged business owners lost revenue because of the bike lanes.
“WHEREAS, businesses along Truman Road have reported lost revenue due to removed parking and access as well as decreased access for those living with disabilities due to the way the bike lanes on Truman Road have been designed and implemented,” the document read.
The KCMO City Council will vote on plans to remove the south side of Truman Road bike lanes, and on the north side, add a permanent cycle track.
Robinson says both sides of the street will have dedicated 24-hour permanent parking.
“Similarly to what you have at Grand Street, there is permanent parking, where people don’t have to worry about entering or exiting their cars in a travel lane,” Robinson said.
Robinson says the compromise cost $470,000 to finish the lanes with some of the money coming from the original plans.
Arcidino says while his problem on the south side of the street is solved, the north side will be affected.
John Mika owns an autobody show on the north side of Truman Road.
“A compromise means a compromise,” Mika said. “It means you have to go with the flow, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to like it and it’s not going to help you. It’s definitely not going to help my business, we don’t work on bicycles.”
Following a vote from the KCMO City Council, the changes will take 4-6 weeks to be implemented.
“We’re not a private institution, we are a public institution,” Robinson said. “We have to respond to the public, the public is footing the bill for these things, we have to be more inclusive in our decision-making.”
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