From left to right: Wayne Cauthen, City Manager; Josephine Carroll; Deb Hermann, 1st District-at-Large Councilwoman; Sandra Doolin Aust, President of the Parks Board Commissioners; Saundra McFadden-Weaver, 3rd District Councilwoman; Bill Skaggs, 1st District Councilman; Terry Riley, 5th District Councilman; Mark McHenry, Director of Public Works

 
A groundbreaking event to recognize Phase 2 of the Independence Boulevard Streetscape Improvements project was held Thursday, April 1, at 10 a.m. at the Independence Plaza Park just on Independence Boulevard between Brooklyn and Park. Phase 2 of the Independence Boulevard Streetscape Improvements project is a continuation of work completed in the area several years ago. Phase 1 of the streetscape improvements stretch from Montgall Ave. to Wabash Ave.

Independence Boulevard plays an important role in Kansas City since if became the first boulevard in the Kansas City Parks, Recreation and Boulevards system back in 1893. 

The $1.5 million improvements to the half-mile segment of the boulevard included in Phase 2 are set to begin on April 12. Changes will include new streetlights and decorative pedestrian lighting; additional trees and shrubbery; brick pavers providing information about the boulevard’s history; street name tiles at intersections; upgraded traffic signals; the addition of pull-off parking spaces; and realignment of the intersection at Woodland and Independence.

Phase 2 of the streetscape improvements is set to be complete in November 2004 overlapped by construction of Phase 3, which will include portions of the boulevard from The Paseo to Highland Ave. and Montgall Ave. to Benton Blvd.