Overland Park Neighbors Demand Speeding Solutions on 87th Street

Residents voice concerns after launch of city's Safe Streets initiative fails to address longstanding traffic issues

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:19am

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A bold, colorful silkscreen-style illustration featuring a grid of stylized pedestrian crossing signs in bright neon hues, conceptually representing the community's demands for improved street safety measures.Repeated pedestrian crossing signs symbolize the community's ongoing fight for safer streets in Overland Park.Overland Park Today

Neighbors in Overland Park, Kansas are calling on the city to address persistent speeding and safety concerns on 87th Street, despite the recent launch of the Overland Park Safe Streets plan. Residents have been requesting solutions like a four-way stop or crosswalk for years, but say the city has been slow to respond or implement meaningful changes to improve pedestrian safety in the area.

Why it matters

The 87th Street corridor is a major thoroughfare in Overland Park, with many walkers, bikers, and young residents who face dangerous driving conditions due to chronic speeding. The city's Safe Streets initiative was meant to solicit community feedback to enhance road safety, but locals feel their longstanding concerns have been overlooked, raising questions about the program's effectiveness.

The details

Neighbors like Bryan Fugate and Elizabeth Johnson have been pressing the city for at least two years to address speeding and lack of pedestrian infrastructure on 87th Street. They say stop signs are frequently run, causing accidents, and that crossing the street near the Woodson Drive intersection is especially treacherous for children. Despite requests for a four-way stop or crosswalk, the city has been slow to respond or implement solutions, leaving residents frustrated that the new Safe Streets plan has yet to yield any tangible improvements in their community.

  • Neighbors first requested a four-way stop two years ago, but it was denied by the city.
  • Johnson sent a request for a crosswalk in October 2024, which was initially denied before being reconsidered in June 2025.
  • The Overland Park Safe Streets initiative was recently launched to gather community feedback on street safety.

The players

Bryan Fugate

An Overland Park resident who has been asking the city for solutions to speeding and safety issues on 87th Street for at least two years.

Elizabeth Johnson

An Overland Park resident who has submitted multiple requests to the city for a crosswalk on 87th Street near Woodson Drive, where her young daughter and other neighborhood children struggle to safely cross the road.

Maya Solis

A 10-year-old Overland Park resident who finds the 87th and Woodson intersection scary to cross, as drivers frequently fail to stop at the stop signs.

Overland Park

The city government responsible for addressing traffic and pedestrian safety concerns raised by local residents.

Overland Park Safe Streets

A recent city initiative aimed at gathering community feedback to enhance road safety, which has so far failed to address longstanding issues on 87th Street according to local residents.

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What they’re saying

“You see people flying down the road and it's very concerning.”

— Bryan Fugate, Overland Park Resident

“It's frustrating that we have been asking for (solutions).”

— Elizabeth Johnson, Overland Park Resident

“Me and my friend are thinking of making a meeting spot by the intersection, but no cars have a rule that they have to stop so they just kind of zoom by.”

— Maya Solis, 10-year-old Overland Park Resident

What’s next

Neighbors can submit their feedback and concerns on the Overland Park Safe Streets initiative until April 30, 2026. The city has indicated it is working to install a curb ramp to improve accessibility at the 87th and Woodson intersection, but has not committed to adding a crosswalk or other traffic-calming measures requested by residents.

The takeaway

The ongoing issues on 87th Street highlight the challenges cities like Overland Park face in balancing the needs of drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, even as they roll out new initiatives aimed at improving street safety. Residents feel their longstanding concerns have been overlooked, underscoring the importance of meaningful community engagement and swift action to address persistent traffic problems.