Buck O'Neil Bridge (Broadway Bridge)

The Buck O’Neil Bridge — the original Broadway Bridge — is the US 169 crossing of the Missouri River between downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City / Wheeler Downtown Airport / Riverside. The 1956 triple-arch structure opened September 9, 1956 at a cost of $12 million, replacing vehicle service on the upper deck of the Second Hannibal Bridge. It was renamed for John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil — Kansas City Monarchs player and manager — on June 24, 2016. A replacement bridge opened northbound January 29, 2024; demolition of the 1956 structure began February 15, 2024.¹

Overview

Opened (1956 span)	September 9, 19561
Cost	$12 million (1956)1
Type	Triple-arch bridge (through-arch design)1
Carries	US Route 1691
Replaced	Vehicle service on Second Hannibal Bridge (upper deck)1
Toll operation	Until 19911
Renamed	June 24, 2016 — Broadway Bridge → Buck O’Neil Bridge1
Replacement bridge	Opened northbound January 29, 20241
Old span demolition	Began February 15, 2024 — northern span brought down with explosives1

History

The bridge first opened for traffic September 9, 1956 as the Broadway Bridge, built at a cost of $12 million. It was a triple-arch, through-arch span carrying US Route 169 across the Missouri River between downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City, and it succeeded the Second Hannibal Bridge to the east, which had previously handled vehicle traffic on its upper deck.¹

The bridge served as the primary route from downtown to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and Riverside, Missouri. It operated as a toll facility until 1991.¹

Renaming (2016)

On June 24, 2016, the bridge was officially renamed from the Broadway Bridge to the Buck O’Neil Bridge, honoring John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil, the Kansas City Monarchs player and manager who became the sport’s foremost ambassador for Negro Leagues history.¹

Replacement (2024)

A new Buck O’Neil Bridge opened to northbound traffic on January 29, 2024. Major demolition of the original 1956 structure began February 15, 2024, with the northern span brought down using explosives.¹

Sources

See also

• missouri-river
• downtown-kc
• the-northland
• wheeler-downtown-airport
• riverside
• buck-o-neil
• hannibal-bridge
• Wiki

Footnotes

1. Wikipedia — “Buck O’Neil Bridge” (formerly Broadway Bridge) — asserts: original span first opened for traffic September 9, 1956 as the Broadway Bridge; construction cost $12 million; triple-arch bridge carrying US Route 169; replaced vehicle service on the Second Hannibal Bridge upper deck; provided transportation from downtown Kansas City to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and Riverside, Missouri; operated as toll facility until 1991; renamed June 24, 2016 to Buck O’Neil Bridge for John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil, Kansas City Monarchs player and manager; new Buck O’Neil Bridge opened northbound traffic January 29, 2024; major demolition of the 1956 structure began February 15, 2024, with the northern span brought down using explosives. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴