Category: Communities

Central Avenue Bridge closed

Detour map for Central Avenue Bridge closure. (From Unified Government)

The Central Avenue Bridge over the Kansas River between James and 3rd streets was closed beginning Feb. 1 to perform a structural analysis, according to a Unified Government spokesman.

The UG’s Public Works Department was notified Monday by a firm contracted to evaluate UG-owned bridges that the Central Avenue Bridge over the Kansas River is experiencing extensive deterioration of its bottom truss, stated Dave Reno, UG spokesman.

The deterioration of the 102-year-old bridge was enough to cause concern about potential failure, Reno stated.

The Wyandotte County Engineer ordered the bridge closed immediately for further analysis to protect the public, he stated.

A decision about the bridge’s future will be made when that analysis is complete, he added.

Commuters should plan for an indefinite closure and follow safety signs, he stated. Public Works will publish a full detour plan later this week, he added.

KCK student named an ‘Engineering Ambassador’

A Kansas City, Kansas, student at Kansas State University has been named an Engineering Ambassador.

Julio Gutierrez Martinez, a junior in electrical engineering from Kansas City, Kansas, was one of 31 students at K-State named to membership in the organization.

The Engineering Ambassadors are current K-State College of Engineering studenets chosen to promote the engineering profession and act as hosts for the college. Each ambassador assists with recruitment initiatives on and off campus.

Students with strong academic and leadership records are eligible for membership, and must have successfully completed an engineering leadership program in addition to participating in a two-round selection process.

‘Enough Is Enough’ community forum planned tonight in KCK

An “Enough Is Enough” community forum will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, in a virtual meeting.

The forum is sponsored by the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools, Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Police Department and the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The school board is leading an effort to stop violence in the community. During the past year, more than 20 students have been lost, including 11 to gun violence.

The “Enough Is Enough” campaign has featured blue ribbons displayed throughout the community in the effort to end violence. A pledge drive is online at https://enough.kckps.org/.

A pledge drive has been started, so that individuals in the community can pledge to end violence.

Those interested in participating in the forum may sign up at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kf-mtpzIrHtyqyB9fvg7ZBYpi-pVpUFLp.

For more information on the “Enough Is Enough” campaign, visit https://kckps.org/enough-is-enough-a-new-initiative-from-kansas-city-kansas-public-schools/.