COMPLETE STREETS

Kansas City Code ch. 64, art. II

in effect

Kansas City Code § 64-41 Intent.

Sec. 64-41. - Intent. The city shall develop a safe, reliable, efficient, integrated, and connected multimodal transportation system that will promote access, mobility, and health for all users and will ensure that the safety and convenience of all users of the transportation system are accommodated, including pedestrians, wheelchair users, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, and people of all ages and abilities. Additionally, the city shall incorporate green infrastructure, innovative stormwater management, street trees, and appropriate lighting in transportation projects. All city-owned streets, bridges, traffic signals, and similar transportation facilities will include sidewalks with appropriate pedestrian accommodations, and the city's bicycle master plan and walkability plan shall be implemented during new or reconstruction of transportation facilities within the city limits. While this policy applies citywide, the city shall develop plans and set goals to prioritize and ensure successful implementation of complete streets in low and moderate-income neighborhoods, neighborhoods with poor health outcomes, and neighborhoods with diminished access to transportation options. (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17)

Kansas City Code § 64-42 Definitions.

Sec. 64-42. - Definitions. Complete streets means streets and street networks that are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, in that pedestrians, wheelchair users, bicyclists, public transportation users, and motorists, regardless of age or ability, are able to safely move along and across a street. Complete streets aid in providing access to employment and activity centers for citizens with limited mobility or lack of access to automobiles. Geometric change means the widening or narrowing of a roadway pavement width. Major maintenance means any construction or repair activity which removes more than 50 percent of the pavement structure for a given street segment. Multimodal means a transportation system that addresses the modes of travel for the movement of people that includes hut not limited to pedestrians, wheelchair users, bicyclists, public transportation users, and motorists. Operations means non-capital activities required to keep roadways and right-of-ways in safe and effective operation condition. Rehabilitated intersections means intersection construction which alters the width or elevation of the intersection. Relevant public strategic plans include but are not limited to: (1) Major street plan; (2) Bike KC plan; (3) Trails KC plan; (4) Walkability plan. (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17)

Kansas City Code § 64-43 Scope of complete streets applicability.

Sec. 64-43. - Scope of complete streets applicability. (a) All transportation facilities owned by the city in the public right-of-way including but not limited to streets, bridges, and all other connecting sidewalks and pathways shall be designed, constructed, and operated to adhere to the intent of complete streets. (b) The city shall implement complete street elements within the general scope of roadway maintenance projects, which are not considered as major maintenance, and at no significant additional costs. (c) The city shall incorporate complete street elements and principles into public strategic plans, capital improvement plans, design standards, manual rules, regulations, and programs. (d) The city shall coordinate with, and enforce when applicable, the state, counties, public transportation providers, and neighboring jurisdictions to ensure that streets, bridges, and all other sidewalks and pathways connecting to other jurisdictions comply with the intent of complete streets. School districts, community improvement districts, and other special taxing districts shall comply with this complete streets article to ensure that streets, bridges, and all other connecting sidewalks and pathways not owned by the city but which are within the city limits comply with the intent of complete streets. (e) Private developments shall accommodate multi-modal connections in accordance with chapter 88, Code of Ordinances. (f) The city shall approach every transportation improvement and project phase as an opportunity to create safer, more accessible streets for users. These phases include, but are not limited to programming, studies, pre-design, design, right-of-way acquisition, construction, construction engineering, reconstruction, operation, and major maintenance. (g) The city shall include any improvements recommended by the Bike KC Plan and Trails KC Plan during all transportation improvements and project phases including but not limited to programming, studies, pre-design, design, right-of-way acquisition, construction, construction engineering, reconstruction, operations and major maintenance. (h) All new or geometrically redesigned intersections shall be built with sufficient widths for safe bicycle and pedestrian use including crosswalks and appropriate pedestrian signalization equipment. The design of crosswalks and appropriate pedestrian signalization will be included even where sidewalk or bicycle accommodations are not available on the approach roadway so as to provide for safe crossings until such time that the approach streets are upgraded in accordance with this policy. (i) Any new bridge or rehabilitated bridge that is likely to remain in place for 25 years or longer shall be designed and built with the intent to accommodate sufficient widths for safe bicycle facilities as identified on public strategic plans and pedestrian use. Bridges, viaducts, overpasses, and underpasses shall be designed and built with a sidewalk. Bridges, viaducts, overpasses, and underpasses shall be designed and built with facilities recommended in the adopted. Sidewalks and bike facilities as identified in the Bike KC plan and Trails KC plan shall be included regardless of the presence of such facilities on the approach roadway. (j) Notification to both councilmembers in the district in which a bicycle lane(s) is proposed to be installed is required prior to the planning and design of the bicycle lane(s). (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17; Ord. No. 211041, § 1, 1-26-23)

Kansas City Code § 64-44 Alternatives and exceptions.

Sec. 64-44. - Alternatives and exceptions. (a) Any exception to this article, including for private projects, shall be first reviewed by the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee which shall provide a recommendation to the transportation development committee, and city plan commission and be documented with supporting data that indicates the basis for the decision. Any exception to this article shall be approved by the city plan commission. Appeals to decisions are made to the board of zoning adjustment. Such documentation shall be publicly available. Exceptions may be considered for approval when: (1) A viable alternative is presented that provides for the appropriate multimodal accommodation; (2) The cost for accommodating a particular mode or category of users would be excessively disproportionate to the benefits of that improvement, with due consideration to future users, latent demand and the social and economic value of providing a safer and more convenient transportation system for all users; (3) The application of complete streets principles would be contrary to public safety; or (4) An absence of current and future need to serve a category of users is documented (e.g. in a rural or low-density area which lacks water or sewer utilities). In determining future need, applicants must consult relevant land use plans. (b) Measures such as, but not limited to, vehicular level of service, average daily traffic, pedestrian counts, bicycle counts, or crosswalk warrants each on their own shall not be justification for an exception to the intent of complete streets. (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17)

Kansas City Code § 64-45 Design guidelines.

Sec. 64-45. - Design guidelines. (a) The city shall develop and update on a decennial basis, a comprehensive complete street design manual that provides context sensitive design guidance for how complete streets will be implemented and incorporated in each phase of every project to meet the intent of this article. This includes, but is not limited to, the design of sidewalks, refuge islands, curb extensions, traffic calming measures, traffic signals, accessible curb ramps, bicycle lanes, separated bikeways, multi-use trails, bicycle parking facilities, signage, street trees, public transportation stops, and roadway re-channelization, in conjunction with construction, reconstruction, or other investment in a public right-of-way. (b) The following are approved organizations which produce manuals and guides, and the latest edition of each shall be consulted for the purpose of the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of complete streets; including but not limited to: (1) National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO); (2) Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE); (3) American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO); (4) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); (5) Transportation Research Board (TRB); (6) National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP); (7) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD); (8) Multimodal Level of Service Analysis for Urban Streets, NCHRP. (c) All sidewalks, street crossings, other street elements shall meet or exceed the accessibility guidelines set forth by the United States Access Board in the most recent edition of the Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) and Americans with Disabilities Standards for Accessible Design. (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17)

Kansas City Code § 64-46 Performance measures.

Sec. 64-46. - Performance measures. (a) The city shall measure adherence to the intent of complete streets in every project phase and improvement using, but not limited to, pedestrian level of service, bicycle level of service, and multi-modal level of service. (b) All public transportation projects and any development project that triggers a traffic impact study or walkability study shall evaluate a level of service for all mode types of transportation. (c) The city shall measure implementation of complete streets using, but not limited to, implementation of the adopted bicycle master plan, League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly Community program status, the UNC Highway Safety Research Center's Walk Friendly Community program status, crashes, injuries, and fatalities by transportation mode, bike commuting rates, walk commuting rates, and multimodal level of service of entire street network. (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17)

Kansas City Code § 64-47 Implementation.

Sec. 64-47. - Implementation. (a) The city shall review this policy every three years and adopt changes as technologies and design standards evolve. (b) The public works department, the city planning and development department, the office of the city manager, the parks and recreation department, and other relevant departments, agencies, or committees shall incorporate complete streets principles into all existing and future plans, manuals, checklists, decision trees, rules, regulations, and programs as appropriate. Said entities shall review current design standards including subdivision regulations which apply to new roadway construction, to ensure that they reflect the best available design standards and guidelines, and implement complete streets where feasible. (c) When available, the city shall encourage staff professional development and training on non-motorized transportation issues through attending conferences, classes, seminars, and workshops. (d) City staff shall identify current and potential future sources of funding for street improvements and recommend improvements to the project selection criteria to support complete streets projects. (e) The city shall promote inter-departmental project coordination among city departments with an interest in the activities that occur within the public right-of-way in order to better use fiscal resources. (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17)

Kansas City Code § 64-48 Reporting.

Sec. 64-48. - Reporting. (a) The city shall develop, adopt, and track walking, biking and public transit mode share goals on a decennial basis. (b) An annual report will be made to the city council showing progress made in implementing this policy. The annual report will focus on a comprehensive summary of city controlled projects and will detail major capital projects such as general obligation bond projects. Information from non-city entities will be added to the report as available, when feasible. (c) The city shall provide public education to ensure that all users of the transportation network understand and can utilize complete streets project elements. (Ord. No. 170949, § 1, 12-14-17)

Source: City of Kansas City, Missouri, Code of Ordinances, Charter and Zoning and Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mo/kansas_city/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORKAMIVOII_CH64STSIPUPL_ARTIICOSTFetched: 10/28/2026