‘They are Clowning Around’: Kansas Citians Place Hope in Pavement Grooves to Curb Sideshows

Cracking Down on Sideshows

Kansas City, Missouri, has taken a firm stand against sideshows in recent months as local law enforcement sees a rise in this disturbing trend. Just two weeks ago, the local Police Department, in an effort to curb the growing menace, issued 59 citations at multiple sideshows they managed to bust. “They are clowning around and around,” voiced Geraldine Wigfall, an employee at a nearby business complex who witnesses the constant disruptive activity at a close range.

Installation of Pavement Grooves

In a clear response to the sideshows menace, the city has introduced a new measure; the installation of pavement grooves. Wigfall noticed crews laying these grooves near her workplace and praised their work, saying, “So they won’t be able to make the doughnuts anymore. How nice. You don’t have to hear all the squeaking and the noise.”

The first of the pavement grooves were installed in 2023, and authorities are now focusing on expanding their initiative across the city. Some of the locations targetted include Blue River Road and Grandview Road, 13th Street – 14th Street and Hickory Street, 12th Street and Liberty Street, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Eastwood Trafficway, among others.

The ‘Vision Zero’ Campaign

This new traffic-control initiative is part of the city’s ‘Vision Zero’ campaign, which aims to reduce pedestrian deaths to zero. Sherae Honeycutt, press secretary for KCMO’s city manager office, stated that the grooves can serve a purpose other than just disturbing sideshows. “We really want to change how people use the roadways and by slowing drivers down, helping them think about how they are using the roadways,” she said. “It will deter misbehaviors and also keep people safe in other ways.”

However, the city authorities have yet to release any data that conclusively shows a decrease in sideshow activities at intersections where the grooves are placed. They plan to monitor progress throughout the year to evaluate the efficacy of the project, with Honeycutt cautiously optimistic, “I think as we continue on, especially in the warmer months, we will see how that goes and we will observe if a tangible change occurs.”

In Summary

The city’s new initiative, both lauded and awaited, is a progressive step towards transforming road usage and ensuring safety. Although conclusive results of the groove initiative are yet to emerge, Kansas Citians remain hopeful that these embedded grooves in the pavement will indeed quell the sideshow menace and bring peace back to their streets.

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