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RECONNECTING THE WESTSIDE
CLIENT
The City of Kansas City and MoDOT
TYPE OF CLIENT
Non-Profit & Local Government
CATEGORY
Public & Media Relations, Social Media Campaign
BRIEF
Reconnecting the Westside is a community-driven project led by the City of Kansas City in partnership with MoDOT. Supported by a $1 million federal Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant, the project is conducting a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study to identify solutions that address long-standing barriers caused by highway infrastructure. This effort prioritizes safety, equity, and inclusive planning to ensure a more connected and resilient future for the Westside community.
WHAT WE DID
Madison West Consulting led the public engagement strategy, ensuring that the voices of residents, businesses, and community leaders were at the center of the process. We designed and facilitated community meetings, listening sessions, and outreach efforts that created space for honest dialogue and collaborative problem-solving. Additionally, we captured over 40 video interviews by residents, elected officials and community stakeholders to hear the stories of displacement followed by resilience. By bridging perspectives across diverse stakeholders, we helped shape a process rooted in transparency, trust, and shared vision.
Video credits:
Dr. Gene T. Chavez, Project historian
Michael Saldivar, Director of Photography, KCMADE Films
Madison West Consulting
RESULT
Through this engagement, the Westside community played a defining role in shaping project priorities that go beyond infrastructure to address economic, cultural, and social needs. The project has strengthened relationships between residents and city leaders and set the foundation for solutions that promote safety, mobility, and opportunity. Stories have been documented and shared. Most importantly, the process is helping to heal past divides while charting a path toward a more inclusive and connected Westside.
