Kansas City's spending plans to improve roads spurs debate
City Council member Katheryn Shields says the city is falling behind on deferred maintenance
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Updated: 7:06 PM CDT Mar 31, 2021
City Council member Katheryn Shields says the city is falling behind on deferred maintenance
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Updated: 7:06 PM CDT Mar 31, 2021
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LEADERS ARE DOING IT, RIGHT. SOMETIMES IT FEELS AS IF KANSAS CITY IS BOXED IN. ORANGE COUNTY TO IMPROVE THE ROADS, KANSAS CITY IS JACKING UP THE SPENDING VOTERS APPROVED SPENDING 40 MILLION A YEAR. IT’S GOING TO 71 MILLION. BUT I DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF SPENDING SEVENTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS IN JUST ONE YEAR. THAT’S ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT WE ACTUALLY SHOULD BE SPENDING. COUNCIL MEMBER CATHERINE SHIELD SAYS THE 300 MILLION THEY SPENT ON A ROAD SINCE VOTERS APPROVE. THE PLAN IS NOT WORKING. THE CITY IS STILL FALLING BEHIND. ABSOLUTELY. WE’RE FALLING BEHIND. THERE’S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. WE’VE GONE FROM HAVING 600 MILLION DOLLARS IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE TO HAVING 800 MILLION DOLLARS IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. TO FIX THE EXISTING ROADS NOT BUILD NEW ONES AND THAT PART OF THE DEBATE. WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE CITY PLACES IN THE NORTHLAND AND FAR SOUTH. WE HAVE NEW DEVELOPMENT AND NEW GROWTH THE OTHER COMPLAINT THEY NEED TO COORDINATE AND WE DO THE ROAD. YOU CAN THEN COME BACK TWO MONTHS LATER AND SAY OH WE’VE GOT A WATER MAIN ISSUE UNDER THAT SAME ROAD. SO THIS EXPANDED STREET REPAIR PLAN WILL PROBABLY PROCEED BUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS