Solving Complex Urban Flooding with Progressive Design-Build

Originally presented at StormCon 2025 in Orlando, Florida.

Credits: 1.0 PDH | 0.1 CEU | Approved for all Envirocert International, Inc. (ECI) Certifications: Approval #PDH-0186

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Westport, the oldest area of Kansas City, Missouri, has been redeveloped several times over its more than 150-year history. However, frequent and severe flooding along Mill Street has been the cause of costly property damage impacting businesses and workers within the district. Previous flood mitigation solutions took a traditional study, design, and bid approach which resulted in either solutions that could not be built or were too costly. The Westport Regional Business League took a different approach and selected a design team that could take the project from concept design all the way through construction. The method preferred was a progressive design-build approach that has resulted in an innovative multiple benefit solutions that addresses traffic, parking, pedestrian connectivity issues, flooding and water quality issues, and lighting and sustainability goals. In this session, learn how the design-build approach works and how the project is helping Kansas City’s initiative to provide smarter more integrated public improvement projects that are more cost effective, sustainable, and provide more resilient solutions.