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Emily Wheeler
Editorial Assistant
On Aug. 18, an accident at the intersection of Truman Road and Van Brunt Boulevard resulted in the death of a pedestrian and significant damage to infrastructure, according to KCPD. This incident, which involved a two-vehicle collision, highlights the persistent problem of pedestrian fatalities along Truman Road.
Reports indicate that a gray Honda Civic traveling northbound on Van Brunt Boulevard had stopped at a red light. When the signal turned green, the driver proceeded into the intersection. Simultaneously, a silver BMW 535XI, speeding westbound on Truman Road, ran this red light — colliding with the Honda. The impact-force caused the BMW to lose control, veering off the road and striking a wooden utility pole, which was sheared from its base.
The overturned BMW then struck a pedestrian walking in the bicycle lane on the south side of Truman Road. KCPD identified the deceased pedestrian as 43-year-old Shaunta Rodgers. This was Kansas City’s 60th vehicle-related fatality, according to KCPD.
The occupants of the BMW fled on foot, heading westbound on Truman Road. The driver of the Honda was unharmed. This collision caused a power outage at the intersection — prompting Evergy to respond for repairs.
This incident is alarmingly consistent with Truman Road’s troubling history of pedestrian fatalities. According to The Beacon Kansas City’s recent analysis, Truman Road stands out as one of the most dangerous streets among Kansas City. This road has been a hotspot for pedestrian deaths, with 12 fatalities recorded over the past two years alone. This latest accident reinforces the pattern of danger on Truman Road, which has long been a critical area of concern for traffic safety.
The Beacon’s review of traffic fatalities from 2022 and 2023 highlights that a quarter of pedestrian deaths occurred on just five major roads, including Truman Road. The city’s “high injury network,” identified in a 2022 study, features these dangerous streets — underscoring an urgent need for safety upgrades.
The Northeast area, where this recent accident occurred, is known for its narrow driving lanes due to prevalent street parking and hazardous road conditions. Severe potholes further compound the risk — making navigation increasingly difficult.
As this investigation continues, community members and city officials are calling for immediate action to enhance safety measures on Truman Road and other high-risk areas to prevent future tragedies.
The Truman Road Complete Streets Plan was introduced in 2018 by the City of Kansas City and Mid-America Regional Council (MARC). Consultants in developing this plan were Alta Planning + Design, Parson and Associates and Bike Walk KC. That study concluded that a road diet along the Truman Road corridor would naturally reduce street speed and would provide opportunities for installing additional pedestrian supportive measures. Reduced traffic speeds are desirable, according to the study.
The Complete Streets study measured safety on the seven-lane Truman Road — ending in its designation as a “high injury network.” The implemented solution for this problem included the addition of protected bike lanes, which were installed in the fall of 2022. These bike lanes cut down the number of lanes in an attempt to reduce traffic flow.
In January 2023, the Kansas City Public Works Department held a public forum addressing concerns over these bike lanes. Community members and businesses along Truman Road reported lost revenue due to the removed parking and access. Some recalled the addition of said bike lanes confusing, while others approved of the added safety measure for bicyclists.
“There are too many lanes and not enough traffic, which is a recipe for disaster. By taking away a lane of traffic and adding a bicycle lane in each direction, we will see not only calmer traffic but a major east-west bicycle lane corridor which has been severely lacking in the city,” said Northeast resident Adam Rossi in his November 2022 letter to the editor.
Truman Road business owner Shawn Arcidino had his concerns with these bike lanes: “As for how this will impact my business, delivery trucks may have trouble finding a place to park or block additional traffic lanes, not to mention tow trucks that need to back in to drop off vehicles for repair,” he wrote in his November 2022 letter to the editor. Arcidino, owner of Atomic Collision Body Shop, also had concerns about customer parking.
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