WHAT IS THE GREENLINE?

Spring 2026 | Greenline_kc

Greenline KC is a proposed 10-mile multi-modal trail encircling downtown Kansas City, designed to seamlessly connect neighborhoods, parks, transit, and destinations. The development of the Greenline is currently guided by the Greenline Executive Subcommittee, a coalition of public, private, and community partners working to advance the vision.

Preface

During the Spring 2026 semester, the Kansas City Design Center partnered with the Greenline Executive Subcommittee to explore how the Greenline could function as a connected system of public spaces and civic infrastructure. Working at a pivotal moment as key trail and bicycle infrastructure projects advanced across the city, seventeen interdisciplinary students from architecture, interior architecture, and planning developed strategies to strengthen connectivity and enhance the user experience along the corridor.
Through research, site analysis, and community meetings, students advanced alignment strategies and defined four distinct Greenline segments. Each segment celebrates the unique character, history, and opportunities of its surrounding neighborhoods while contributing to a cohesive Greenline experience. The resulting work includes design guidelines, conceptual proposals, infill strategies, trail connections, destination planning, and a coordinated family of site furnishings that establish a unified Greenline identity.

Disclaimer: The KCDC functions as an academic visioning agency only, and does not implement or build the proposed designs from its academic projects. The research, study, and plans developed by the studio may be used by the City of KCK, SomeraRoad, or other applicable organizations to conduct their own development and implementation separate from the KCDC’s project. It is our hope that the studio’s visioning process acts as a conduit for the communities voice to be heard through the design proposal presented.