Project Update 6/18/2026: 

Public Works has substantially completed three major several major infrastructure projects on Kansas City's Westside - including the Southwest Boulevard Streetscape phase one, the Las Tarascas statue plaza, and upgrades to the public parking lots under the I-35 bridge. A community celebration was held on June 16, 2026 to reveal the Las Tarascas statue and to commemorate these projects being open to the public.

Overall Completion Status:

• Streetscape construction – COMPLETED
• Paving of roadway – COMPLETED
• New Traffic signals at Summit Street and at Avenida Cesar E Chavez – COMPLETED
• Traffic Signal upgrades at W Pennway Street and at Broadway Boulevard – COMPLETED
• Traffic signal removal at W Pennsylvania Avenue - COMPLETED
• Striping of Roadway - COMPLETED
• Water line replacement to 25^th St (KC Water) – COMPLETED
• Westside banner installation – COMPLETED
• Resolving sewer issues – COMPLETED
• New LED lights under I-35 bridge – COMPLETED
• Six new security cameras under I-35 bridge – COMPLETED
• Pigeon abatement – ONGOING
• New Bus Shelter at Summit – COMPLETED
• Bike Racks - COMPLETED
• 17 new garbage cans – COMPLETED
• 20+ new trees – COMPLETED
• Las Tarascas Statue – COMPLETED
• Las Tarascas Plaza - COMPLETED

To be completed with minimal public impact:

• 3 small light poles will be installed around the Las Tarascas plaza. These poles are on back-order for several months, but all of the conduits and bases are ready for installation once they arrive.
• Public Parking signs are expected to be installed for the bridge parking areas by the end of June 2026.
• Work on converting the old Westside fountain into a planter is expected to take place in July 2026.
• Potentially additional landscaping upgrades as needed.

Separate from the Public Works project, KC Water is replacing waterlines throughout the Westside:

• Crews have reached a stopping point in their replacement work, which will not resume until after the 2026 FIFA World Cup
• No public facing impacts at this time
• The Public Works project limits extended from Broadway to 25th Street, while KC Water’s project limits run from Summit Street to 31st Street. The overlapping segment—Summit to 25th Street—was completed by KC Water in coordination with the Public Works streetscape work.
• Water main replacement expected to resume as early as July 13, 2026 - see more details in the "Water Main Replacement" section below

Southwest Boulevard Streetscape & Public Parking Lot Upgrades:

The Southwest Boulevard Streetscape project involves $43.6 Million of total investment along the corridor. This work will be done in two phases, with phase one spanning along Southwest Boulevard from 25th Street to Broadway Boulevard and phase two spanning along Southwest Boulevard from 31st Street to 25th Street. Work on phase one work started in January 2025 and is now substantially complete as of June 2026. Phase one includes the following improvements:

• Streetscape improvements with a shared use path - $2 Million invested
• Roadway repaving - $400,000 invested
• Sidewalk repairs - $25,000 invested
• New signals - $900,000 invested
• Water main replacement (KC Water) - $9.4 Million invested
• Flood storage - $30 Million invested
• New trash cans - $48,000 invested
• Various upgrades to public parking lots under the I-35 overpass - $560,000 invested
• Community banners/Gateway statue - $265,000 invested

Sidewalk Repairs and Repaving: 

• Sidewalk Repairs
  • New ADA ramps
  • Sidewalk repairs along north side of roadway

• Repaving
  • Repaving of roadway from Broadway to 25th Street
  • Lane layout will be reconfigured to improve safety after the road is repaved (see below)

Streetscaping:

• Complete Streets (3 lane section with shared use path), check out the configuration here.
  • Adding green infrastructure
  • Adding shared use path
  • Adding Medians and bump-outs

• Traffic Signals
  • New signals at Summit and under bridge
  • Remove signals at Pennsylvania/close slip ramp

I-35 Overpass Safety and Security Improvements: 

• New lighting under bridge – 13 new lights, 27 upgraded lights
• Security Cameras
• Increased signage for public parking
• Bird Control – Reduce droppings

New Trash Receptacles:

• 17 currently installed
• New improved design has larger capacity

These action items were determined based on a Planning for Sustainable Places (PSP) study that analyzed the Southwest Boulevard corridor from 31st Street to Broadway Boulevard. The goal of implementing these action items is to enhance mobility, safety, and quality of life in Kansas City and the Westside neighborhood. Read more about the PSP below in the "Transportation Study" section.

Las Tarascas Plaza:

Water Department Improvement Projects:

Water main replacements:

KC Water is replacing 10,600 linear feet of 6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch, 16-inch, and 30-inch break-prone or obsolete water mains with resilient high-strength ductile iron pipe (DIP). Project will improve distribution system reliability, increase hydraulic conveyance capacity, and support fire protection. These replacements span from Summit Street to 31st Street. 

• Phase I
  • Started in January 2025
  • Summit to 25th Street
  • Completed.

• Phase II
  • Summer 2026 through Spring 2027
  • 25th Street to 31st Street
  • Break in work during FIFA World Cup

The remaining portion of KC Water’s project, from 25th Street to 31st Street, has been initiated but not completed. This segment has been temporarily suspended until after the FIFA World Cup. Work in this area includes replacement of a 12‑inch distribution main and a 36‑inch transmission main.

Once construction resumes, local businesses and residents should expect periodic lane reductions and some temporary water service disruptions. KC Water’s contractor will notify all affected customers at least 48 hours in advance of any planned service interruption.

Water main replacement work from 25th Street to 31st Street is scheduled to resume on July 13, 2026 and is anticipated to be completed in Spring 2027. 

• Install two underground weir storage facilities
• Located behind Royals mural at 25th Street
• Reduce flooding and sewer overflows
• Construction expected to start Summer 2026 and be completed in July 2027

Public Engagement:

Thank you to those who submitted feedback on several design aspects for the Las Tarascas plaza, Westside fountain, and power boxes. While comments on the SpeakEasy page have closed, the webpage can still be viewed.

The Project Manager for the Southwest Boulevard Streetscape Project previously spoke at the Westside Neighborhood Association meeting on January 15, 2026 and April 2, 2026. He gave updates on the project and led a public discussion about plans for the Las Tarascas statue. He gave a similar presentation to the Sacred Heart Neighborhood on February 1, 2026. 

An open house event was held on May 27, 2025 to share details about these improvements. Click here to view the presentation from that public event.

Multiple meetings were held previously during the transportation study period (more details below).

Transportation Study

The Southwest Boulevard Transportation Study is a Planning for Sustainable Places project that utilized funds awarded by the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC). This effort was a partnership between Kansas City and Wilson & Company, Engineers and Architects, who led a team of planners, engineers, and landscape architects (Hoxie Collective, SWT Design, and Fresco Marketing) to analyze the Southwest Boulevard corridor from 31^st Street to Broadway Boulevard. After gathering input from residents, stakeholders, and government officials about the corridor’s future potential, the team delivered a summary of recommendations, concluding with a plan aiming to protect residential and commercial areas, implement stormwater best practices and flood hazard mitigation, improve public amenities, and explore a complete streets approach on Southwest Boulevard.

Thank you to all the community members, stakeholders and business owners who participated in this process!

Following are highlights of the engagement process during this study:

• A Public Walking Tour was held on October 21, 2023, and the community provided great feedback to the team on specific goals and challenges along the Boulevard.
• The Virtual Walking Tour survey was shared with the public and additional feedback was received to guide the team’s direction.
• A focus group meeting was held with Kansas City Fire, Police, and EMS.
• A focus group meeting was held with KC Water regarding stormwater and water supply.
• The consultant team hosted a design workshop on alternative design concepts to refine and share with the Stakeholder Group and Public.
• A Spanish focus group meeting with residents and business owners was held.
• The visual preference survey was shared with the public.
• The Stakeholder Group provided input on preliminary design concepts.
• A Public Open House was held on April 4, 2024, and the community provided input on design concepts and recommendations to improve transportation, public space, and the environment.
• The Virtual Open House survey was shared with the public and additional feedback was received to guide the final recommendations.

Southwest Boulevard Study Final Report

Project Contact

Nicolas Bosonetto - Project Manager

(816) 513-2746

Kansas City Public Works, City Engineer