Raytown discourages jumping, falling from new bridge

The City of Raytown opened a new East 63rd Street bridge crossing over the weekend. The city’s downtown, such as it is, is now a hell of a lot easier to reach.

The new bridge features wider sidewalks. Pedestrians have more room to operate — and less opportunity to get into trouble. Barriers made of masonry and iron reach 10 feet into the air, decreasing the likelihood that the bridge will mark the site of a teenager’s death, as it did before the replacement work began.