Southwest Trafficway began its life as Summit Street. It was always a main thoroughfare. Once upon a time, a street car line ran down the middle of it (until the system was dismantled in the early 1950s). But it was never high-traffic in the way that it is today. Now it serves as a lengthy off-ramp for I-35 South, a high-speed viaduct through the middle of the city and into the suburbs, and a hotspot for serious accidents. It is currently one of the most dangerous stretches of roadway in Kansas City.
Considering recent efforts over the past few years to make safety, beautification, and traffic flow improvements to main thoroughfares like Main St. and Broadway, it’s time that Southwest Trafficway receives the same consideration. To that end, residents of Coleman Highlands, Valentine, and Volker, along with traffic officers from Central Patrol and community leaders with a shared interest in improving roadway safety in midtown gathered together together on April 11, 2026 to begin discussing current concerns, existing efforts for safety enhancement along the Trafficway, and other area plans for infrastruction that might influence how we might rethink the design of Southwest Trafficway.
Meeting minutes for this meeting are available to read here:
Southwest Trafficway Safety Initiative Meeting, April 11, 2026
An informal follow-up meeting with Mary Jo Draper, Javier Perez, and Sonya Andrews was held on May 2nd. Notes from that meeting are available here: