I must say driving that every day for a while as a commercial driver it is the prettiest highway in the city. But also one of the most insane. ;P Some drivers have no problem going around 30 miles an hour over that 55 posted limit. Also it is too bad that court order prevented the full I-49 changeover to happen. But hopefully the dangers of those traffic lights will be realized eventually. After all the place is already set up to be able to accept and elevated highway with bridges and ramps.
KC is home for me...I remember when there was no Bruce Watkins Drive, and when MODOT was doing show and tell sessions about what it would look like. Now I'm 2000 miles away in Vegas...and I was looking at Freewayjim's videos, saw the link to US - 71...and got a 5 minute fix for my homesickness...complete with a great sound track to boot. To say the video is excellent is an understatement. THANK YOU for making and posting it.
@MrSuperRileymoore U. S. 71 is the planned route for interstate 49, but it isn't yet brought up to interstate standards. Until then it's still a U.S. Route.
@Themadfarter1976 I'll eventually be roadtripin to cali as soon as I can get the funds for it. I'll be driving through there on the way. Probably be next year though.
Those overpasses along US 71 along Bruce Watkins Drive are some of the most aesthetically pleasing ones I've seen in North America. MDOT did a GREAT job with this project. Add in the great views of downtown KC, and you've got one hell of an urban freeway. Putting this one on my favorites list.
This is some great stuff. I've been waiting for a long time for one of the major freeway videographers to film US 71 through Kansas City. Really appreciate this one.
The Triangle is probably my favorite interchange in the Midwest. So many different ramps in all sorts of directions, but I never did drive straight through the entire thing, so this was very neat to see from the US 71 perspective...
All this time I thought US 71 was a freeway from 435 up to downtown. It is a nice touch to see a boulevard in a park-esque setting! MoDot did a great job.
@CptSchmidt Technically KC is the Midwest (and the western part of it, actually), but I also like how hilly it is. I spent a week there doing some volunteer work and didn't think much of the city (especially compared to Chicago, which is where I was moving back then), but even then I appreciated the beauty of its highways. In retrospect, though, KC is a fine city, and my low opinion of it was solely due to the fact that I spent most of my time there in a really bad area of the city.
@simplykristib I agree! It's good to have a volunteering experience, because for instance I learned to really appreciate Kansas Citians for who they are and not for what they have. But I think it would be great to now get back to the city and appreciate it for what it has. I only tangentially drove by the better areas of the city, and they did look beautiful. Plus, the barbecue really is amazing (take it from a Texan!).
I don't see this being fixed anytime soon since there are not enough people in the community wanting that kind of change. The best that can be done in the meantime are other methods like traffic light synchronization, tougher speed limit enforcement, pedestrian walkways, etc. More info can be found about this, but I can't post the links here for some reason...
Nice video, Luke. Weird how a court order was inacted, to prevent the removal of those traffic signals. I also like how you ended on Minnesota Ave. :-)
@Bryant5493 Many people not familiar with that particular area of US 71 would eventually ask, "Why are there three traffic lights on this highway?" The result is due to the community having to deal with being uprooted out of the path of the freeway decades prior to construction. Not wanting to have some freeway running through the middle of the community, they filed a lawsuit in the 1970s stalling construction for around a decade.
The compromise is a sort of parkway for the stretch from Gregory Blvd (71st St.) to 53rd St. It was considered a big win for the local community. However, they didn't foresee the side-effect of potential pedestrian accidents as a result of the decision. So while there is enough right-of-way to fix this, it would take an amendment to the court order by the very community that created it years ago.
@Bryant5493 Thanks Bryant. There was a similar fight with the courts for St. Paul's 35E. Controversial highways usually get more aesthetic attention. And ending on Minnesota Ave suites me well I think. There's a highway in Anchorage named after Minnesota as well.
It is a court order due to some businesses along Prospect Avenue which ruins parallel to the west of Bruce Watkins Drive. It took decades for the roadway to be built. The first phase (southern part) of the roadway was begun in the late 1980s and it was finally hooked up with the SE part of the downtown KCMO loop in the early 2000s.
I must say driving that every day for a while as a commercial driver it is the prettiest highway in the city. But also one of the most insane. ;P Some drivers have no problem going around 30 miles an hour over that 55 posted limit. Also it is too bad that court order prevented the full I-49 changeover to happen. But hopefully the dangers of those traffic lights will be realized eventually. After all the place is already set up to be able to accept and elevated highway with bridges and ramps.
jmsmontecarlo87 6 days ago
Will I-49 piggyback on I-435 to reach I-70 and/or I-35?
cparkes92 4 months ago
@cparkes92 No.
eluko79 4 months ago
@cparkes92
I-49 will end at the I-435/I-470 interchange.
simplykristib 2 months ago
Ah the L n C Viaduct, I drove across that when it was 100 years old, quite a view, great vid btw, keep up the great work
2004JETTA 4 months ago
@2004JETTA Thanks!
eluko79 4 months ago
2:27 Where did you get information on that court order, about the traffic lights?
1867Phoenix 5 months ago
@1867Phoenix It mentions it on the wiki page for I-49. It leads to a source with more info on the route through here.
eluko79 5 months ago
@eluko79 It also will reach New Orleans at some point. US 90 is the future I-49 in Louisiana.
atworkstation 2 months ago
Comment removed
vikingscool 4 months ago
@vikingscool
That will not be part of I-49. I-49 will end at the I-435/I-470 interchange.
simplykristib 2 months ago
@simplykristib Good to know.
vikingscool 2 months ago
@simplykristib Thanks.
vikingscool 2 months ago
KC is home for me...I remember when there was no Bruce Watkins Drive, and when MODOT was doing show and tell sessions about what it would look like. Now I'm 2000 miles away in Vegas...and I was looking at Freewayjim's videos, saw the link to US - 71...and got a 5 minute fix for my homesickness...complete with a great sound track to boot. To say the video is excellent is an understatement. THANK YOU for making and posting it.
JamieMK 5 months ago
what does that mean future interstate 49
MrSuperRileymoore 5 months ago
@MrSuperRileymoore U. S. 71 is the planned route for interstate 49, but it isn't yet brought up to interstate standards. Until then it's still a U.S. Route.
eluko79 5 months ago
Looks like they can build he freeway in the median where the traffic lights are. Are they gonna do that someday?
PelicanGuy 5 months ago
@PelicanGuy I would imagine so, but so far there are no plans for it.
eluko79 5 months ago
Whatever i wasn't even speaking to you.
Themadfarter1976 5 months ago
Love the bridges! Nice parkway-ish design :)
aswchris 5 months ago
Maybe you can film in Denver one day. It's just a little further up I-70. I'd be cool if you could get out that far one day.
Themadfarter1976 5 months ago
@Themadfarter1976 Yeah right 600 miles that just a little further up alright.
dvferyance 5 months ago
@Themadfarter1976 I'll eventually be roadtripin to cali as soon as I can get the funds for it. I'll be driving through there on the way. Probably be next year though.
eluko79 5 months ago
(Part 2 of 2):
Those overpasses along US 71 along Bruce Watkins Drive are some of the most aesthetically pleasing ones I've seen in North America. MDOT did a GREAT job with this project. Add in the great views of downtown KC, and you've got one hell of an urban freeway. Putting this one on my favorites list.
FreewayBrent 5 months ago
@FreewayBrent Thanks! Glad you liked it. Its certainly one of the best Ive seen.
eluko79 5 months ago
(Part 1 of 2):
This is some great stuff. I've been waiting for a long time for one of the major freeway videographers to film US 71 through Kansas City. Really appreciate this one.
The Triangle is probably my favorite interchange in the Midwest. So many different ramps in all sorts of directions, but I never did drive straight through the entire thing, so this was very neat to see from the US 71 perspective...
FreewayBrent 5 months ago
my ghod man, that was one of the most impressive US Highways ive seen, huge thumbs up.
ScrewdUPClickV2 5 months ago
Awesome! I've always come into KC from the east or west on I-70. Cool to see it from another perspective.
PeteTheChopp 5 months ago
All this time I thought US 71 was a freeway from 435 up to downtown. It is a nice touch to see a boulevard in a park-esque setting! MoDot did a great job.
jcrockett001 5 months ago
Why won't the court order let the signals be removed?
thomasrosiefan1 5 months ago
@thomasrosiefan1 Yeah, why?
adrianroam95 5 months ago
@adrianroam95 Why don't they want the signals removed?
thomasrosiefan1 5 months ago
Awesome video, especially of the skyline!
FreewayTitan 5 months ago
This looks like a very nice drive. Nice and hilly. The eastern US is beautiful.
CptSchmidt 5 months ago
@CptSchmidt Technically KC is the Midwest (and the western part of it, actually), but I also like how hilly it is. I spent a week there doing some volunteer work and didn't think much of the city (especially compared to Chicago, which is where I was moving back then), but even then I appreciated the beauty of its highways. In retrospect, though, KC is a fine city, and my low opinion of it was solely due to the fact that I spent most of my time there in a really bad area of the city.
AlvinHDavernport 4 months ago
@AlvinHDavernport
There are some beautiful parts to the city and much to do here in KC. You need to come back just to visit the city!
simplykristib 2 months ago
@simplykristib I agree! It's good to have a volunteering experience, because for instance I learned to really appreciate Kansas Citians for who they are and not for what they have. But I think it would be great to now get back to the city and appreciate it for what it has. I only tangentially drove by the better areas of the city, and they did look beautiful. Plus, the barbecue really is amazing (take it from a Texan!).
AlvinHDavernport 2 months ago
Keep up the good work!
dave11686 5 months ago
Excellent video, KC is full of all kinds of interesting things, man you weren't kidding about some of those overpasses on US-71. 5*
Freewayjim 5 months ago
@Freewayjim Thanks Jim!
eluko79 5 months ago
I don't see this being fixed anytime soon since there are not enough people in the community wanting that kind of change. The best that can be done in the meantime are other methods like traffic light synchronization, tougher speed limit enforcement, pedestrian walkways, etc. More info can be found about this, but I can't post the links here for some reason...
strifecaecus 5 months ago
nice video!!
AntiVirus5551 5 months ago
awesome video tres clear !
deangmoxon 5 months ago
Nice video, Luke. Weird how a court order was inacted, to prevent the removal of those traffic signals. I also like how you ended on Minnesota Ave. :-)
Bryant5493 5 months ago
@Bryant5493 Many people not familiar with that particular area of US 71 would eventually ask, "Why are there three traffic lights on this highway?" The result is due to the community having to deal with being uprooted out of the path of the freeway decades prior to construction. Not wanting to have some freeway running through the middle of the community, they filed a lawsuit in the 1970s stalling construction for around a decade.
strifecaecus 5 months ago
The compromise is a sort of parkway for the stretch from Gregory Blvd (71st St.) to 53rd St. It was considered a big win for the local community. However, they didn't foresee the side-effect of potential pedestrian accidents as a result of the decision. So while there is enough right-of-way to fix this, it would take an amendment to the court order by the very community that created it years ago.
strifecaecus 5 months ago
@Bryant5493 Thanks Bryant. There was a similar fight with the courts for St. Paul's 35E. Controversial highways usually get more aesthetic attention. And ending on Minnesota Ave suites me well I think. There's a highway in Anchorage named after Minnesota as well.
eluko79 5 months ago
@eluko79 And don't forget Minnesota Ave in Sioux Falls SD.
dvferyance 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@eluko79 And don't forget Minnesota Ave in Sioux Falls SD.
dvferyance 5 months ago
i was just in KC last month on I-35 another great vid, great editing & music
OnThatPowder 5 months ago
Wow, that road was spectacularly landscaped, looked beautiful!
casmatori 5 months ago
Great ride. One of the nicest stretches of roads I've seen.
georgiaroadgeek 5 months ago
looks great, thanks
bsdpowa 5 months ago
Very nice video Eluko79 :)
Very nice editing.
65.000 vehicles, is that the max in this area, because if it is: that's kinda low. ;)
keokiracerhalsteren 5 months ago
@keokiracerhalsteren I think the stoplights and how close it is to I-435 might be the reason for that.
eluko79 5 months ago
Comment removed
vikingscool 4 months ago
@vikingscool
It is a court order due to some businesses along Prospect Avenue which ruins parallel to the west of Bruce Watkins Drive. It took decades for the roadway to be built. The first phase (southern part) of the roadway was begun in the late 1980s and it was finally hooked up with the SE part of the downtown KCMO loop in the early 2000s.
simplykristib 2 months ago
1st! woot
WarshMeh 5 months ago