Kansas City invites you to attend Community Summit #3 for the Reconnecting the East Side initiative. The public event will be held Tuesday, September 16, 2025 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center (3700 Blue Pkwy). During the event, the project team will present the initial alternatives for US-71 that were developed through months of community feedback and engagement. Stop by to learn more and to give your input about which solution you want to see!

More on Reconnecting the East Side:

Focused on providing safe transportation improvements for the community, the Reconnecting the East Side project also aims to address some of the long-standing issues created when US-71 Highway construction divided neighborhoods, from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard on the north to 85th Street on the south and from Paseo Boulevard on the west and Swope Parkway on the east.

Led by Kansas City, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), this project is about more than roads – it is about physically restoring the heart of the East Side, by listening to its residents, identifying early action projects, and framing a long-term vision that can be implemented over the coming years.

Working hand in hand with the community, the project team is developing a comprehensive understanding of land use, green space, housing, economic development, public health, education, traffic safety, and other issues. Strategies for change will be identified to address the corridor’s needs. Click here to leave your comments on the interactive map!