Visiting KC’s Old Red Bridge on Valentine’s Day? There are rules for love locks
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Visitors can place locks but must get permission and pay fees for weddings on the bridge.
- Do not throw keys into the river; toss them in bridge trash cans.
- Avoid hanging locks on lights or painting the bridge; staff will relocate locks.
In Kansas City, one of the most popular ways to “lock down” your love, as the saying goes, is to attach a padlock to the Old Red Bridge that crosses the Blue River in Minor Park. Thousands of lovers, families and friends have clamped locks onto the bridge and thrown away the keys.
People do it year-round, but Valentine’s Day, no surprise, gets especially busy on the bridge, located in south Kansas City off Red Bridge Road between Holmes and Blue River roads. (Use the Minor Park north entrance off Red Bridge.)
With the holiday falling on a Saturday this year, one of the city’s most romantic spots will likely attract a lot of foot traffic, which merits a reminder of bridge etiquette.
First ask: Be respectful of any public events happening on or at the bridge. There’s a Valentine’s Day wedding taking place on the bridge Saturday. Yes, you can get married there, but with permission and for a fee.
“The love-themed holiday definitely makes the bridge an attractive place to be,” said Parks and Rec spokesperson Toni Zibert. “The wintry mix on the forecast might affect things, but I’m sure we’ll still see many new locks contributed throughout the weekend.
“Love persists even through finicky weather.”
The current bridge — the third incarnation of red bridges in that area since 1859 — was repurposed as the Love Locks Bridge in February 2013. Since then, more than 6,000 locks have been placed on the concrete, steel and red granite structure, according to the bridge’s website.
It’s one of several bridges around the world that encourage this tradition. Most span bodies of water — the Savannah River in Georgia, St. John’s River in Jacksonville, Florida, Ohio River in Kentucky — though the Bagley Pedestrian Bridge in Detroit crosses over a highway and lovers are expressly forbidden from throwing the keys onto the road below.
“We’re very excited to have a new wave of lovers’ mementos on the bridge for Valentine’s Day,” said Zibert.
The bridge made headlines last summer when locks began disappearing from the bridge. It turned out that an Overland Park man, an amateur locksmith, had picked some of the locks to hone his skills.
He took the locks — selling, donating and keeping some. People got angry, even reportedly threatened his family, after he posted about it on social media.
Parks and Rec had to remind people that once a lock is in place on the bridge it becomes city property. Hands off.
Here are other reminders for “love lock contributors” from the folks at Parks and Rec.
You have to take your own lock. You can’t buy one at the bridge, but the pro shop at the Minor Park Golf Course sells locks. The bridge’s website has links to sources for custom locks; one site promises fast turn-around service.
Don’t throw the key into the river. This is not Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain where people throw coins into the water. People are encouraged to toss keys in the trash cans at the bridge.
The bridge has solar-powered fairy lights hanging through the upper railings which light up every night, said Zibert.
“We discourage contributors from hanging locks from the lights — the weight will unfortunately mess with the wiring and cause the lights to fail or fall down,” she said.
If you hang one from the lights, the parks department will remove it and relocate it to safer spot nearby.
And, as if it needs to be said, don’t paint the bridge, please. It’s red. Leave it that way.
.jpg)