Kansas City Star Logo

Warning drivers: Gardner Road exit off I-35 a morning menace | The Kansas City Star

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Newsletters
  • Obituaries

    • All News
    • Local news
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • The Buzz
    • Nation & World
    • 913
    • Cass County
    • Lee's Summit
    • Video
    • Photos
    • All Sports
    • Chiefs
    • Royals
    • Royals photos
    • Sporting KC
    • Olympics
    • Kansas
    • Missouri
    • K-State
    • High School
    • Scores & Stats
    • NASCAR
    • Outdoors
    • NBA
    • Buy Tickets
    • Blogs & Columns
    • The Full 90
    • Campus Corner
    • For Pete's Sake
    • Sam Mellinger
    • Vahe Gregorian
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Missouri Influencer Series
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Colleen Nelson
    • Derek Donovan
    • Dave Helling
    • Melinda Henneberger
    • Steve Kraske
    • Toriano Porter
    • Guest commentary
    • Syndicated columnists
    • Submit a Letter
    • Entertainment
    • Ink
    • Events
    • Arts & Culture
    • Music
    • Comics
    • Stargazing
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Movies
    • Horoscopes
    • Arts
    • TV
    • Restaurants
    • Books
    • Star TV listings
    • All Business
    • Cityscape
    • Development
    • Workplace
    • Personal Finance
    • National/International
    • Technology
    • Kids & Money
    • All Living
    • Chow Town
    • Eat & Drink
    • House & Home
    • KC Gardens
    • Advice columns
    • Faith
    • Travel
    • Family

    • True Blue app
    • Red Zone Extra
    • Star news apps
    • Extra Time KC

  • Cars
  • Contests
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Homes
    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
  • Spaces
  • KC Weddings

  • Contact us
  • Mobile & Apps

Community

Warning drivers: Gardner Road exit off I-35 a morning menace

BY ROXIE HAMMILL

Special to The Star

    ORDER REPRINT →

March 30, 2017 07:16 PM

If you’re planning to drive south on Interstate 35 toward Gardner in the early weekday hours, law enforcement and county officials have a message for you: Look out for cars on the shoulder at the Gardner Road exit.

And if you work at the nearby logistics park there’s a message for you, too: Please, please drive a little farther and get off at the Homestead Lane exit.

While rapid growth at the Logistics Park Kansas City has been warmly welcomed, the area hasn’t gotten off without some growing pains. Currently, officials are trying to work out what to do about traffic congestion at the Gardner Road exit that reaches dangerous levels during the 6:30 to 7 a.m. period, especially on Wednesdays. That is the time Amazon and Jet.com workers are all trying to get to their jobs.

The problem is the configuration of the Gardner Road interchange, said Gardner Mayor Chris Morrow. The interchange, deemed functionally obsolete by the Mid-America Regional Council, is too small, for one thing.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Add to that the fact that people exiting are trying to make a quick right onto a crowded two-lane and then a quick left onto another small road, 191st Street, and you have the makings of a big problem. The long waits for that left turn delay incoming traffic until it backs up down the exit ramp and even along the Interstate shoulder.

The problem was particularly acute during the holiday season, when as many as 200 cars could be seen lining the highway, officials said.

It’s that line of stopped cars and the highway-speed approaching traffic that most concerns Sheriff Calvin Hayden. There have been accidents, including one that involved an off-uty sheriff’s deputy, he said.

“The exit ramp is the most dangerous part because of the high speed,” of oncoming traffic, Hayden said. “Thank God we haven’t had a fatality out there. But there’s a strong possibility.”

The Gardner Road exit, estimated to be about 50 years old, was never intended as the main way for people to get to the Logistics Park. For that, local and state highway officials built a new Homestead Lane intersection that can accommodate truck traffic and has an efficient diverging diamond design, Morrow said.

But Gardner Road is the first exit for people approaching from the metro area. And since there is a way to access the park via 191st Street, people are using it as a shortcut.

The area has experienced huge growth since the opening of the BNSF Intermodal freight facility, but the Gardner Road exit ramp issue became most acute once Amazon and Jet.com opened up, he said.

Now city and county officials are trying to work out what to do. County Commissioner Mike Brown met with Gardner and Edgerton city and law enforcement officials to discuss approaches to the problem. Their options will probably be some combination of stepped-up enforcement and new signage. There’s already a portable lighted sign urging people to use the Homestead exit.

Building a new Gardner Road interchange would be up to the Kansas Highway Department, which is already strapped for funds, Brown said. But KDOT may be brought into the conversation eventually, as local authorities try other things, he said.

Morrow said he hopes the state can make the interchange a priority, given the profound safety problem at the exit ramp.

Edgerton Mayor Donald Roberts said he appreciates the benefits of the Logistics Park, which has created 3,000 new jobs in Edgerton since 2013. He’d like to see more signs directing logistics workers onto more efficient routes.

  Comments  

Videos

Overland Park is moving forward

Iconic French Market on Metcalf being demolished for new office campus

View More Video

Trending Stories

First Amendment ‘auditor’ injured during argument with security guard at LA synagogue

February 15, 2019 09:53 AM

Snow is coming to Kansas City Friday, again: Here’s when and how much

February 14, 2019 10:11 AM

Was that Elsa’s girlfriend in ‘Frozen II’ trailer? Fans who want her to be gay hope so

February 14, 2019 10:05 AM

‘Don’t be fooled’: KC area under advisory as snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour possible

February 15, 2019 06:35 AM

Hello, yellow brick road: Elton John dazzles in thrilling Kansas City show

February 14, 2019 08:00 AM

Read Next

Are we teaching our children to be fickle?

Joco Diversions

Are we teaching our children to be fickle?

By Stacey Hatton

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 16, 2019 12:00 AM

Upon pondering, parenting is a form of acceptable brainwashing. Our ideals and traditions are either accepted or rejected sometime during the child’s life,

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE COMMUNITY

Smaller JoCo cities passing laws protecting LGBTQ residents. Why not Olathe, OP?

Government & Politics

Smaller JoCo cities passing laws protecting LGBTQ residents. Why not Olathe, OP?

February 15, 2019 05:30 AM
A snowy day is a fine time to dig out a classic tale

Joco Diversions

A snowy day is a fine time to dig out a classic tale

February 14, 2019 10:43 PM
Mani/pedi destroyer may start a ‘no polish’ movement

Joco Diversions

Mani/pedi destroyer may start a ‘no polish’ movement

February 14, 2019 09:28 PM
Siberian Husky, pretty gray kitty ready for homes

Joco 913

Siberian Husky, pretty gray kitty ready for homes

February 14, 2019 09:20 PM
Blue Valley adds 5 minutes to school day

Joco 913

Blue Valley adds 5 minutes to school day

February 14, 2019 09:00 PM
Are you ‘dependent?’ Ask yourself when things get rough

Joco Diversions

Are you ‘dependent?’ Ask yourself when things get rough

February 14, 2019 08:04 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Advertising information
  • Print
  • Digital
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story