Month: August 2020

Several highway projects ongoing in Wyandotte County

Highway projects are currently taking place throughout the area, including in Wyandotte County. (KDOT map)

Several highway projects are ongoing in Wyandotte County, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

KDOT construction projects affecting traffic include:

I-635 pavement patching and overlay project
Northbound and southbound I-635 traffic will be restricted to one lane using a nightly lane drop between Foster St and the BNSF railroad bridge, and from 43rd St. bridge to K-5 junction.

• The time of the closures will be from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday to Friday and 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday to Sunday.
• Ramps will be intermittently closed throughout the duration of the project with a 3-day advanced notice for their closures. Work began on June 15 and the completion date for this project is November 20.

For pavement patching:
Ramp closures, 10 p.m. Thursday, July 30, to 5 a.m. Sunday, August 9.
• Southbound I-635, Merriam Drive on and off ramps,
• Southbound I-635, Shawnee Drive on and off ramps,
• Southbound I-635, Metropolitan Avenue on and off ramps,
• Southbound I-635, Swartz Road on ramp. New (ongoing)

Ramp closures, 10 p.m. Thursday, August 6, to 5 a.m. Monday, August 10.
• Southbound K-5 to I-635. New (ongoing)

Ramp closures, 10 p.m. Friday, August 7 to 5 a.m. Friday, August 14.
• Northbound I-635 at Parallel Parkway,
• Northbound I-635 at 38th Street,
• Northbound I-635 at Leavenworth Road,
• Northbound I-635 at K-5. New (ongoing)

Ramp closures, 10 p.m. Saturday, August 8 to Sunday, August 16.
• Southbound I-635 at Leavenworth Road,
• Southbound I-635 at 38th Street,
• Southbound I-635 at Parallel Parkway. New (ongoing)

Reconfiguration of the Turner Diagonal interchange in Wyandotte County
A new diverging diamond interchange to be built, scheduled to reopen November.

The following ramps are currently closed until Sept. 8. The ramps include:
• Ramp from eastbound I-70 to southbound Turner Diagonal Freeway,
• Ramp from eastbound I-70 to northbound Turner Diagonal Freeway,
• Ramp from northbound Turner Diagonal to westbound I-70,
• Ramp from southbound Turner Diagonal to westbound I-70.
• Ramp from southbound Turner Diagonal Freeway to eastbound I-70,
• Ramp from northbound Turner Diagonal Freeway to eastbound I-70,
• Ramp from westbound I-70 to southbound Turner Diagonal Freeway,
• Ramp from westbound I-70 to northbound College Parkway,
• Turner Diagonal Freeway from State Avenue to Riverview Avenue.

Lewis and Clark Viaduct bridge replacement
Westbound I-70 will be closed past Broadway Blvd (in Missouri NW corner of the downtown loop) to 3rd St in Kansas City, Kansas for bridge replacement.

• Girder unloading, eastbound I-70 closed, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5. New (rescheduled due to heavy rain and high river level)

o I-70 eastbound closed intermittently from 15-20 minutes over the three-hour period.
o Ramps closed – eastbound I-70 on ramps at Washington Avenue, Minnesota Avenue and Fairfax Trafficway.
• Ramps from 5th St, Beardsley Rd, Independence Ave at Delaware Ave and I-35 to westbound I-70 (in Missouri) will be closed for the Westbound I-70 bridge replacement.
• Ramps from westbound I-70 to Minnesota Ave, Washington Blvd, and Fairfax Trafficway will be closed for the westbound I-70 bridge replacement.
o Due to severe weather in 2019, these closures will continue into 2020. A new completion estimate will be made pending pier construction progress which is subject to high water conditions.

43rd Street bridge repair
Northbound and southbound I-635 traffic will be restricted to 2 lanes at 43rd St for bridge repairs.

• Concrete barrier will be used across the bridge for the duration of this project. Work began on June 19th and the completion date for this project is expected to be November 20.
• Northbound on-ramp from westbound State Ave will be closed for the duration of the project.

Railyard bridge repair
Northbound and southbound I-635 traffic will be restricted to two lanes at the railyard bridges just south of K-32 (Kansas Ave.).

• Concrete barrier will be used across the north abutments of the bridges for the duration of the project.
• Work began on July 6, and the completion date is expected to be November 20. Northbound off-ramp to K-32 (Kansas Ave.) and southbound on-ramp from K-32 (Kansas Ave.) will both be closed for the duration of the project.

The KDOT spokesman urged all motorists to be alert and obey the warning signs when approaching and driving through a highway work zone. To stay aware of all road construction projects across Kansas go to www.kandrive.org or call 5-1-1. Motorists are urged to drive safely and always wear a seat belt, according to the spokesman.

Dupree pledges to work together with others to keep community safe

District Attorney Mark Dupree

Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark A. Dupree Sr., who won Tuesday night’s primary election with 55 percent of the vote, said today that he was humbled by the results, and willing to work together with others to keep the community safe.

“For me it showed the community is confident in this administration’s leadership, and that they agree with this vision that we have, and that they want that vision,” Dupree said on Wednesday. “They want holistic prosecution, they want alternatives to prison, but they also want violent offenders to be held accountable.”

Each case is handled with the facts and evidence that comes with that case. It’s about each case, each victim and each individual, he said.

Dupree said he was very humbled and also very grateful to God.

Voter turnout was higher in the 2020 election than it was four years ago in the 2016 primary, where Dupree received 59 percent of the vote and unseated former district attorney Jerome Gorman. Turnout was 22,539 in 2020 as compared to 16,477 in 2016, according to Wyandotte County election records. Dupree does not have opposition in the general election.

There was some negative campaigning this year, and Dupree believes voters had enough of it.

“I believe the voters turned out to oppose that divisive rhetoric that continues to divide our community,” Dupree said. “To me, it hopefully moves us away from the us vs. them rhetoric and thought process.” He hopes it will bring the community together.

“There is no way to make our community safe for everyone if we all don’t work together,” he said.

Dupree’s opponent, Kristiane Bryant, issued this statement today, “I would like to congratulate Mr. Dupree on his re-election as District Attorney. The election results were not what I hoped, but I appreciate all the support I received over the past few months. There was plenty of discussion about progress and change this election cycle and hopefully the discussion continues. One thing that has become clear is, if we want to make progress as a community, we need to work on setting differences aside and remember that we are stronger together.”

During the campaign, several former police officials in the KCK Police Department and the union endorsed Bryant, a former prosecutor in the Wyandotte County office who has been working in another county’s prosecutor’s office. Opponents said Dupree was too lenient with some offenders, and criticized plea deals made with defendants. The DA is starting a community integrity unit this year that will investigate cases of police misconduct.

Dupree said that while he doesn’t always agree on everything with police, he has never had a problem with police and his office is doing everything they can to work together. Politics is one thing, but public safety is another, Dupree said.

“We may have our differences, but we have to unify collectively as law enforcement, and police, all agencies in Wyandotte County, to focus on what is the best way to pursue public safety for everybody in this community,” Dupree said.

The community includes citizens who feel safe with the police, as well as citizens who feel terrified with the police, he added. The DA’s office serves everyone. He said he would continue to offer an olive branch, as “working together for public safety is better for the citizens we serve.”

Dupree said there was some criticism of the office that came out during the campaign. Quoting a scripture about people walking humbly before God, he said constructive criticism that came from community members would assist him in assessing the office.

He said the office will recalibrate ways to make itself more effective and efficient in serving community members. Above all, he will try to work together rather than divide citizens, he said.

“We’re all one Wyandotte County, all one community and need to treat each other as such,” Dupree said. “That’s the only way this criminal justice system will work.”

Police notes

Burglary reported

A burglary was reported at 3 a.m. Aug. 4 at 26th and Barnett, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

An unknown suspect entered the victim’s open garage and stole items from his vehicle, according to the report.

Shooting reported on South 73rd

A victim told police that while in her car with her children, a suspect fired one round at them, which struck the vehicle, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The incident occurred at 1:30 a.m. Aug. 4 in the 600 block of South 73rd, according to the report. There were no injuries.

Victim threatened with firearm on North 72nd


A victim was threatened with a firearm about 2:54 a.m. Aug. 4 in the 900 block of North 72nd, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The victim ran to a friend’s house after having an altercation with the suspect, according to the report. The suspect entered the friend’s house through an open patio door, kicked in the bathroom door and pointed a gun at the victim, according to the report.

The suspect then threatened to shoot her before fleeing.