SustainLane 2006 US City Sustainability Ranking
Kansas City: Laying the Groundwork
Kansas City, Missouri might be known for its jazz history, stride piano and barbecue sauce, but it's also making strides in city sustainability. At the junction of the Kansas and Missouri rivers, the city is surrounded by a relatively flat landscape with a smattering of rolling hills. The combination of a lack of real natural boundaries and the growing popularity of the automobile made typical post-World War II sprawl almost inevitable.
As the city expanded outward, the thriving downtown began to decline. The automobile reigned supreme and money was funneled into building roads. Kansas City now has more miles of freeway per person than any other city in the nation, according to the local transit advocacy group Smart Moves.
While sprawl continues and most residents remain committed to auto travel, leading indicators point toward a more sustainable future for Kansas City. Without a champion for sustainability, such as a mayor or city manager, or even a sustainability plan, the city's sustainability efforts have been piecemeal until recently. However, progress is being made in some very innovative areas. Mayor Kay Barnes' 2006 addition of an Environmental Department, increased plans for public transit, green building, community gardens, and pristine water quality are just a few examples.
