What happens when a wild idea on a river float turns into one of Kansas City’s most ambitious development projects? In this episode of There’s Just Something About Kansas City, we sit down with Mike Zeller — entrepreneur, visionary, and CEO of Flying Truss — to talk about his bold plan to transform the historic Rock Island Bridge into America’s first trailhead and entertainment district on a bridge.

What started as a joke — “Chicken on a Bridge!” — is now a multi-million dollar revitalization effort connecting communities across the Kansas and Missouri rivers. Zeller shares how a dream became a development, the challenges of adaptive reuse, and why this railroad bridge-turned-riverfront attraction could become one of KC’s most iconic destinations.

You’ll hear the origin story behind the project, the history of the bridge itself, what to expect from the future R.I.B. — food, music, trails & more, and why connecting the city above the river that helped to shape it matters.

Whether you're into urban planning and redevelopment, creative placemaking, or just love a good Kansas City dream-turned-reality story, this episode is a must-listen.

Bryan Truta is the Senior Director of Radio Operations at KCUR’s 90.9 The Bridge, a KC native, and a 30-year veteran of the Kansas City music and media scene. If there's a radio station in town, chances are Bryan's worked there.

In this episode of There’s Just Something About Kansas City, Frank and Bryan sit down for a wide-ranging, often hilarious conversation between longtime friends. Bryan shares his unforgettable first encounter with Frank, plus wild stories from his early days at 1510: the cockroach-infested home of Kansas City's first all-sports radio station that grew to become Union Broadcasting and Sports Radio 810 WHB.

From Jason Whitlock and infamous holiday parties at Boal-Manor, to run-ins with the police (not the band) and a collapsing dance floor, Bryan’s got stories. Lots of them. But more than that, he’s a true Kansas Citian—deeply rooted, deeply respected, and still drawing a loyal following wherever he goes.

Once upon a time, Bryan dreamed of becoming the liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh. Today, he’s on The Bridge—a fitting name for someone who’s never burned one in his career. In an industry known for churn and ego, that’s no small feat.

Did we mention he learned to cross-stitch and Irish dance in grade school?

Don’t believe us? Just listen to this episode of There’s Just Something About Kansas City.

Justin Gardner serves on the family board of Big Slick KC, a KC celeb-packed weekend of events raising money to support Children's Mercy KC. We're re-dropping this insightful episode in celebration of 2025's Big Slick weekend!

During an internship and short stint at WDAF-TV, Justin Gardner, a University of Missouri Journalism School grad, found out editing the evening news content wasn’t the life for him. I’m sure all the shouting, cursing and swearing coming from the sports department didn’t help. So Justin used his skills to create commercials and enhance brands for several media companies like AMC Theaters. He brought the film office back to KC and serves as the president of the Film Commission of Greater KC. He also created the Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund for aspiring filmmakers. And now that his younger sister, comedian Heidi Gardner, is making her mark on Saturday Night Live, Justin has joined the family board of The Big Slick Weekend.