by Kim Fickett
Landmark reporter

Residents of Parkville—and motorists traveling through the city— will soon see improvements made to the city’s infrastructure to help alleviate traffic in downtown Parkville.

The formation of a Neighborhood Improvement District has been approved by the Platte County Commission. Landowners within the district will be responsible for paying for the cost of the $9.9 million road project.

The project name is "Crooked Road to Hwy. 45 Neighborhood Improvement District," according to the legal notice that proposed its formation.

That legal notice said construction of public improvements related to a road connecting South Crooked Road to Bell Road and Hwy. 45 to help alleviate traffic issues in downtown Parkville will be performed in this project. The project will include construction of new public roads to improve access in and around southern and western Parkville, sanitary sewers, stormwater system improvements and service connections to utilities.

All of the project cost will be assessed against the owners of property within the district. The final cost of the project to be assessed against property owners shall not exceed the estimated cost by more than 25%.

Improvements will be maintained by the City of Parkville.

According to Jim Allen, managing director of The National Golf Club, the improvements will feature a 1.5 to 1.75 mile connector street from River Hills to 45 Hwy., with a secondary connector to Bell Road.

Tony Borchers, director of development for The National, said that according to traffic engineer recommendations earlier this year: “These improvements will relieve congestion in downtown Parkville and reduce responder time for emergency services.”

Allen and Borchers also realized the importance of the connection with the development of the Parkville Commons and the inadequacy of the roads surrounding it, and the need to help The National residents travel south easier. Allen stated that the connection will allow residents of The National to travel to the Parkville Commons without using 45 Hwy.

“This is one step forward for the infrastructure in the county,” stated Allen. “It’s a good way to get quality growth for the county.”

According to Allen, the reason The National is responsible for this project is because, “it cuts through the property we own, which is all of the property in the (Neighborhood Improvement) district.”

The 85 acres that encompasses the project are 100% owned by RP Golf LLC of Kansas City and J3-Pandi LLC of Kansas City.

Allen explained that the $9.9 million cost of the project will be assessed to both those entities. When new residents buy into the district, they will then be assessed on a per- square-foot portion that will appear on their yearly tax bill.

“It’s a good way for counties like Platte County to do infrastructure improvements with the actual property that’s benefiting paying for it, instead of the general population,” explained Allen.

Borchers stated the goal for construction of the road project is slated for the first quarter of 2005, depending on the weather. Completion of the project is hoped to be completed 12 months after the groundbreaking.

“I think the project is a good thing. We’re very pleased with the entire city of Parkville and Platte County,” said Allen. “We’re proud to say we live here and it’s the right place to live in Kansas City. I think it’s a lifestyle that can’t be duplicated.”