KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The City of Kansas City is moving forward with an improvement plan for Southwest Boulevard. “Think of what this corridor can look like with meaningful public investment from the local government, investment that is consistent with the Latino culture of the neighborhood, and investment that prioritizes the residents and the businesses who have been here for years,” said Kansas City, Missouri Councilmember Crispin Rea 4th District-at-Large. “Investment that will make this neighborhood a regional and national draw. Today, we announce the first phase of such an investment.” The improvement project aims to make the highly traveled road safer. It includes initiatives that will reduce speed and decrease traffic congestion while also making it easier to walk and bike. Witness describes crash that left motorcyclist in need of multiple surgeries The city also plans to invest in public spaces and sidewalks. “So I'm just very excited, very excited to see what this will look like. This is definitely going to help us as business owners create more traffic flow and welcome more people into our neighborhood overall,” said Lesley Reyes, the owner of Café Ollama. Recommendations came from a planning in sustainable places study. Residents, business owners, and other Westside leaders provided input as well. “This plan includes a road diet that will reduce Southwest Boulevard’s width. It's a very, very wide boulevard. It's difficult to cross. It's not safe to cross,” said Kansas City Councilmember Crispin Rea. “So this will reduce the width by using the mobility lane. That will facilitate different forms of transportation by implementing pedestrian islands and medians and creating better parking solutions.” In addition to safety improvements, the project also includes building public gathering places. “There will be placemaking opportunities in which we will create cool and interesting, interesting spaces along the way, and there will be gateways, signage, and branding that will very distinctly match the character of the neighborhood and make it very clear that you are in the westside neighborhood and that you are on the Southwest Boulevard,” Rea said. City leaders say the recommended improvements are in line with the city's vision zero initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android “We need to be making our streets safer. We need to be prioritizing our historic streets. “It's also, for me, personal. In 2016, I lost an uncle due to a traffic accident on Southwest Boulevard. It's because the boulevard is unsafe. It's difficult for drivers; there's a lot of speeding,” Rea explained. The first phase of the project covers Broadway to 25th Street. City leaders hope to complete that phase in time for the World Cup in 2026.