Dr. Greg Mosier, president of KCKCC, met with Lansing Mayor Tony McNeill recently about opening a campus in Lansing. (Photo from KCKCC)Dr. Greg Mosier, president of KCKCC, presented plans for a new campus in Lansing to the Lansing City Council recently. (Photo from KCKCC)
Kansas City Kansas Community College is purchasing 12 acres on K-7 to build a new site in Leavenworth County, according to a spokesman.
The college simultaneously is working on a plan to build a new $62 million campus in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, with a hope of starting construction in the spring.
KCKCC is celebrating its centennial in 2023, and it also has been serving Leavenworth County for the past 35 years, according to a spokesman. The Leavenworth School District allowed KCKCC to use the former Leavenworth West Middle School to offer both academic and technical education programs to the Leavenworth region.
“The College Board of Trustees and the administration truly appreciate the support Leavenworth School District has provided the college and students attending classes at the KCKCC Pioneer Career Center,” Dr. Greg Mosier, KCKCC president, said in a news release.
The site, located in the southern 12 acres of the Lansing Towne Center, will hold an advanced educational facility, according to a college spokesman. It is parallel to K-7 and just north of Country Club Bank in Lansing.
Fall 2027 is the anticipated opening date for the site. Until the new site is constructed, programs and services will continue at the KCKCC Pioneer Career Center, the news release stated. KCKCC-PCC offers more than 30 academic classes for dual-enrolled high school students and adult students in general education, construction technology, culinary arts, electrical technology, health professions, HVAC, criminal justice and early childhood education.
Lansing Mayor Tony McNeill and the Lansing City Council approved the project on Nov. 17.
“Through the generosity of the Leavenworth School District and Dr. Mike Roth, the college has been able to increase its level of service through the Pioneer Career Center. The purchase of this land is the next step in expanding services to Leavenworth County,” Dr. Mosier said in the news release. “As new businesses continue to invest capital to build facilities in Leavenworth County, a primary concern is access to an educated and well-trained workforce. KCKCC is establishing its position in Leavenworth County to be these companies’ workforce provider of choice.”
With the land purchase, a new facility will be designed to provide modern classrooms, labs and technical training spaces that will offer greater capacity and new programs in Leavenworth County, according to a spokesman.
Kelly Rogge, public information manager for KCKCC, stated that no money from the Wyandotte County mill levy will be used for the purchase of the land or the new building in Lansing. KCKCC will work with Leavenworth County to create the necessary construction and ongoing revenue streams.
Enrollment at KCKCC is slightly up compared to last year, although most other institutions across the state and in Kansas City, Missouri, are down in enrollment, Rogge stated.
A tragic accident is being reported out of the Piper area of Kansas City, Kansas, tonight.
A boy perhaps age 4 or 5, somehow got hold of a gun and it went off, striking him, according to Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department spokesman Nancy Chartrand.
The boy was taken to a hospital, where he died, police said.
An initial investigation indicates it was a tragic accident, Chartrand stated.
Work was continuing on eastbound I-70 on Monday, Nov. 28, near 18th Street Expressway in Kansas City, Kansas.A crash was reported at 5:56 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28, on eastbound I-70 near the 18th Street Expressway. (KC Scout photo)A crash was reported at 5:31 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28, on southbound I-35 at 18th Street Expressway, according to KC Scout. The right lane was closed. (KC Scout photo)The exit at northbound I-435 to Kaw Drive was closed at 5:24 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28. Motorists were asked to use an alternate route. (KC Scout photo)
Several short-term highway closures are currently in Wyandotte County, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation, and include:
• I-635 northbound, from Georgia Avenue to Missouri River, ongoing project. Traffic is reduced to a single lane with a 12-foot lane restriction for bridge re-decking work from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
• Eastbound and westbound I-70, Mill Street to Lewis and Clark Viaduct, Nov. 29. Single-lane closure and ramps closed (eastbound and westbound) I-70 entrance and exit ramps at 7th Street, Pacific Avenue and Central Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for pavement work.
• Eastbound and westbound I-70 at U.S. 69 (18th Street), Nov. 30. Single-lane closure and temporary ramp closures (eastbound and westbound I-70 – U.S. 69 (18th Street) entrance and exit ramps, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for pavement work.
Other KDOT construction projects affecting traffic include:
• K-32 – Turner Diagonal Freeway – Kaw Drive, ongoing, started Sept. 30. Bridge replacement project, work includes replacement of the eastbound and westbound K-32 – Turner Diagonal Freeway bridges over Kaw Drive and the Union Pacific Railroad lines. Lane and shoulder closures are scheduled on eastbound and westbound K-32 – Turner Diagonal Freeway from 65th Street to 59th Lane. A single lane will be open at all times. Crossovers will be built to carry traffic head-to-head through the work zone. Work is scheduled in multiple phases with traffic control placed first to prepare for bridge replacements. Bridge work will begin in March 2023. Eastbound Kaw Drive will be closed during bridge demolitions in 2023 and 2024. Work will take place Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The project will shut down in November for the winter and resume in March 2023 and again from November 2023 to March 2024. Project completion is scheduled by December 2024.
• Northbound and southbound U.S. 73 (K-7) – Parallel Parkway, ongoing, start date was Sept. 19. Intersection improvement project. Work includes resurfacing for the installation of a restricted crossing U-Turn at the intersection of U.S. 73 (K-7) and Parallel Parkway. Traffic will be managed in four phases and crossovers will be built to carry U.S. 73 (K-7) traffic head-to-head through the work zone. Phase 1, from September to November 2022, the lane and shoulder closures during work hours; single lane to be open at all times. Phase 2, March-July 2023, single-lane traffic will cross over to travel head-to-head on existing lanes. Phase 3, July to December 2023, single lane traffic will cross over to travel head-to-head on newly construction northbound lanes; and Phase 4, December 2023, lane and shoulder closes during work hours; single lane to be open at all times. Work will take place Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The project will shut down in November for the winter and resume in March 2023. Project completion by December 2023.
• Eastbound and westbound K-32, Kaw Drive to 55th Street, ongoing pavement improvement project. Concrete pavement patching, pavement smoothness grinding, pavement joint sealing and pavement marking. Eastbound and westbound K-32 traffic will be reduced to a single lane for the duration of the project. Work is from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday, as needed. Project completion is expected by mid-December.
• I-70 and I-635 interchange, ongoing. Bridge deck reconstruction project; work includes replacement of bridge deck. Westbound I-70 to southbound I-635 ramp will be closed for duration of the project; detours are marked. Work is 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays necessary, with occasional overnight work from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Eastbound and westbound I-70, 78th Street to Lewis and Clark viaduct bridge, ongoing. Pavement improvement project; double lane closures on I-70 and ramps closed as needed in project area. Work will occur overnight, weather permitting. Completion by early December.
• Northbound and southbound I-635 – K-5 interchange, ongoing. Bridge replacement project, single lane closures on I-635 and ramps closed ( Southbound I-635 to southbound K-5; northbound K-5 to southbound I-635. Detours are marked. Work will occur Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Project began in October 2021 and is resuming after a winter shutdown period; project completion expected by December 2022.
• Eastbound and westbound K-32, Kaw Drive to 55th Street, ongoing. Pavement improvement project, work includes concrete pavement patching pavement smoothness grinding, pavement joint sealing and pavement marking. Eastbound and westbound K-32 traffic will be reduced to a single lane for the duration of the project. Work will take place from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday, as needed. Project completion is expected by mid-December.
• I-70 to I-635 interchange, ongoing. Bridge deck reconstruction project; work includes replacement of bridge deck. Westbound I-70 to southbound I-635 ramp will be closed for duration of the project; detours are marked. Work will occur from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays as necessary, with occasional overnight work from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Eastbound and westbound I-70, 78th Street to Lewis and Clark viaduct bridge, ongoing. Pavement improvement project; double lane closures on I-70 and ramps closed as needed in project area. Work will occur overnight, weather permitting. Completion expected by early December.
• Northbound and southbound I-635 to K-5 interchange, ongoing. Bridge replacement project; single lane closures on I-635 and ramps closed (southbound I-635 to southbound K-5; northbound K-5 to southbound I-635. Detours are marked. Work is from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Project began in October 2021 and is resuming after a winter shutdown period. Project completion in December 2022.
Unified Government project
• 7th Street and Central Avenue intersection, ongoing. Roadway and intersection improvement project; work will include new traffic signal at the intersection, widening of the curb radii to better accommodate truck traffic, new asphalt surfacing, storm sewer upgrades, reconstruction of curb and gutter and pedestrian ramps and new pavement markings and traffic signs. On-street parking will not be available along 7th Street during the project. Work will occur 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and Saturdays as necessary. Project completion by late November.
