Month: December 2016

I-70 lane to be closed at 7th Street bridge

The westbound I-70 left lane at 7th Street Trafficway bridge in Kansas City, Kan., will be closed for additional emergency bridge approach pavement repair on Tuesday, Dec. 20, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The hours of closure are between 3 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Dec. 20, weather permitting, according to KDOT.

Subgrade issues caused the bridge approach pavement to settle, creating an uneven driving surface, according to KDOT.

A specialized company, Uretek, will perform the additional repair work, the spokesman said. Repairs include injecting a polymer into the ground beneath the pavement area that has settled. This special polymer reacts with the foundation materials, restoring their load-bearing capacity while raising the roadway back to the proper level, according to the spokesman.

Traffic will be directed through the project work zone through signs and cones. Drivers should expect some delays during peak travel time commutes, according to KDOT.

Updated daily traffic information for this repair project and for the Kansas City metro area can be viewed online at www.ksdot.org/kcmetro/laneclose.asp.

Duplex fire reported near 50th and Walker

A duplex fire at 9:58 a.m. Dec. 19 at 5051 Walker Ave. was a total loss, according to information from the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department spokesman.

The duplex was worth $125,000, and is a total loss. Along with the contents of the building, the loss is $185,000, according to Fire Department information.

Fire investigators are looking into the cause of the fire, according to the spokesman.

One of the residents of the duplex was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation, the spokesman reported. There were no other injuries.

When firefighters arrived, within 4 minutes of the call, they found the two-story, wood-framed duplex consumed by fire with heavy smoke, according to the spokesman. The fire was coming from the rear of the building.

The fire was brought under control with firefighters on the scene through at least 2:43 p.m. Smoke and fire detectors were not present.

According to a social media post by the fire chief, the fire was fought in a defensive mode as there was a potential danger of stored hazardous materials.

KCKCC women have second game postponement in Iowa

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Scheduling games in Iowa this season has run into nothing but bad luck for Kansas City Kansas Community College’s women’s basketball team.

On Saturday, Dec. 10, a massive power outage on the campus of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs forced cancellation of KCKCC’s game with Iowa Western.

Less than a week later, KCKCC’s game with Southwestern Iowa in Creston Friday, Dec. 16, had to be postponed because the heating unit in the Southwestern gymnasium went out, lowering temperatures to 57 degrees.

“That might have been a good thing because of the snow and sleet in southern Iowa and northern Missouri,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said.

McKinstry said every attempt will be made to reschedule both games.

Ranked No. 11 in the latest NJCAA Division II poll, the Lady Blue Devils (9-4) are not scheduled to return to action until Jan. 11 against Southwestern.

The Blue Devil men, however, will return to play Saturday, Jan. 7, against On Point Academy in a game scheduled to tip off at 4 p.m.