If you walked, biked or drove down Broadway near Westport on Saturday, things might have seemed a little different.
Better Block KC temporarily transformed the street for the day, in an attempt to show how its organizers think city streets could become more vibrant.
Saturday’s changes included bike lanes on both sides of the street at Broadway and 40th Terrace. Better Block also changed the parking configuration. Planners say adding crosswalks and reducing traffic lanes can make areas like Westport more pedestrian and bicycle friendly and bring new customers to area businesses.
One idea was closing the small section of Broadway that runs between the gas station and the old fire station at 40th Terrace, replacing it with an outdoor cafe. To show what this could look like, Better Block filled up the area with tables and chairs, food vendors and activities. There was also live music during the evening.
Better Block organizers say they will take the ideas and the feedback they got during the event to city hall to suggest changes.
As part of the festivities on Saturday, Kansas City B-cycle also opened one of its new Midtown bike sharing stations at the intersection of 40th Terrace and Main. The bikes can be rented for short trips around the city, and can be dropped off at other locations or returned to the Westport site.
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