Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas visited the Sheffield neighborhood again Friday morning, one week after touring the neighborhood with the new City Manager. Lucas returned to the neighborhood to help address basic infrastructure needs and assisted a City Street Crew in crack sealing a street near 11th and Hardesty Ave.

“What we’re doing here today will help this street survive another four years,” Lucas said. “Frankly, the Northeast has had to wait a long time for services just like this so I am glad we’re out here making these improvements and hopefully this will be the first of many stops throughout Northeast over the next few months before the weather turns bad.”

Martin Marcille, Area Superintendent with the City’s Streets and Traffic Division explained how crack sealing is one option used to extend street life in Kansas City.

“What crack sealing does is seal up the cracks in the asphalt so when the snow melts, it keeps the moisture out of the cracks,” Marcille said. “Moisture is what ultimately causes more potholes so the more we can seal up these cracks, the longer our streets will last.” 

Funding cuts, however, make the practice reactive instead of proactive Marcille noted.

“Every street needs to be done, but with the cuts in funding we do what we can on a reactive basis,” Marcille said.

Sheffield neighborhood president Mark Morales was appreciative of the extra attention from Mayor Lucas.

“The residents of Sheffield Neighborhood appreciate Mayor Lucas making connections with them,” Morales said. “Listening to our challenges, as we all work together to address those moving forward.”