Dorri Partain
Dorri Partain
Managing Editor
Community input for regional transit, development and land use continues as two groups hosted sessions during the same week of early December.
A full array of maps, planning boards and tasty treats welcomed community members at the Don Bosco Senior Center (580 Campbell Ave.) on Tuesday, Dec. 9, as staff for the Bi-State Sustainable Reinvestment Corridor hosted an Open House. This transit plan is being developed to provide access and connections from Kansas City, Kansas to Independence, Missouri as well as re-investment — affordable housing, infrastructure and community-based development.
Now entering Phase 2, this session invited input for transit stations along the proposed east-west corridor and placement of transit stations. With downtown Kansas City as the central hub, twelve stations have been identified from Parallel Parkway at the western end to Noland Road at the eastern end. Transit station locations that would serve Historic Northeast would be located along Independence Avenue/Boulevard at The Paseo, Van Brunt Blvd, and Hardesty Avenue.
Wick Thomas, Missouri House of Representatives District 19 shared his input on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Along the transit corridor, a combination of BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) in more densely-populated urban areas and BRT Lite as connections head toward suburban neighborhoods. BRT operates with 10 minute transit wait times while BRT Lite has a 30 minute wait time. While planning for this corridor considered routes along Truman Road and 12th St., Independence Avenue/ 24 Highway, with a loop to connect to downtown’s East Village RideKC station, was chosen as the best route for BRT.
To garner input, attendees were asked to use colored sticky notes to provide comments, with yellow notes for changes to station types, blue for amenities to complement station areas, pink for mobility issues along the corridor, and orange for cultural resources. Attendees also had the opportunity to record their comments and suggestions.
For those not able to attend, plans and maps are available for viewing on the Mid-America Regional Council’s website and feedback will be collected through January 30, 2026 at
On Thursday, December 11, staff from the City Planning & Development Department presented the final concepts for an updated Truman Plaza Plan at The EGG (2659 Independence Blvd.). Since spring 2024, planning department staff has attended neighborhood meetings, held workshops, tabled at community events and gathered input for future land use within Truman Plaza boundaries.
The Truman Plaza Area Plan is one of 18 area plans within the City boundaries that guides future development including housing, transportation and commercial development. Boundaries of the Pendleton Heights, Scarritt Renaissance, Indian Mound, Lykins, Sheffield, Independence Plaza, Forgotten Homes, Blue Valley and East 23rd Street PAC neighborhoods fall within the Truman Plaza area boundaries.
This plan focuses on current and future land use, housing and neighborhoods, mobility, public spaces and environment. As feedback has been gathered and collated over the past 18 months, this was the first opportunity for the community to review the working final draft before it goes before the City Plan Commission in February 2026.
Indian Mound resident Becca Rendall reviews a map showing Truman Plaza boundaries.
During this session, attendees were most interested in a map on the Housing and Neighborhoods display board, which included a Displacement Risk Map, showing that residential properties north of St. John Avenue were most at risk due to higher property values and tax assessments. Other findings included that residents felt that improvements in neighborhood quality of life and housing have occurred over the last ten years but absentee property owners and vacant lots contribute to low quality housing and issues such as illegal dumping.
Planner Luke Ranker stated that public comment is still being accepted through the end of the year at this link: Truman Plaza In-Process Area Plan
All photos by Dorri Partain
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