Kansas City road crews want drivers to pay attention in work zones

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As summer construction projects pop up everywhere, Kansas City road crews ask drivers to pay attention. One driver got stuck in wet concrete on the streetcar expansion line.Right now, there are more cones than cars on Main Street. Construction workers said that they have had too many close encounters from drivers not paying attention.”Actually, a couple of them have been stuck in the concrete, in wet concrete that was just poured,” said Alex Miller. There’s only a single lane in each direction as crews make upgrades to water, sewer, internet and gas lines before the streetcar line can expand south.”Folks really need to pay attention, drive slow, make sure they’re not on their phone, make sure they are concentrating on the signage and the cones so we don’t have anybody driving into fresh concrete,” said Jeff Martin, chief engineering officer for the Kansas City Water Department.Some of the holes crews are digging are 20 to 30 feet deep. They want everyone, especially workers to be safe as they remove the original streetcar line that’s decades old.”From now until all the way through streetcar construction, we are very focused on making sure construction doesn’t close down any businesses or impede access for anybody,” said Donna Mandelbaum, of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority.Many front business parking lots are empty.”It was a little confusing, but no, not too difficult,” customer Nickole Nordstorm said. At The Russell, customers find places to park in the back for their favorite food.”We are very, very thankful that they are still finding us even with all the rerouting and construction traffic that there is,” said Lauren Ibenthal, of The Russell.More information: Learn more about the Upgrades on Main.