Local officials today signed agreements to kick off $50-million in infrastructure projects funded by a federal TIGER Grant.

The Mid-America Regional Council coordinated a regional application for competitive TIGER grant funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Partners included the city of Kansas City, Mo.; Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas; the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority; and others. The grant will fund:

• Improvements to the State Avenue corridor in KCK as plans to launch a Bus Rapid Transit line continue
• Investments in the Green Impact Zone, a 150-square block area in the urban core of Kansas City, Mo., which has been identified as a national model for targeting resources to reverse decades of decline and abandonment by creating jobs, improving energy efficiency and building neighborhood capacity. TIGER funds will support sidewalk, street and transit improvements in the zone
• Investments in regional transit corridors - including the U.S. 24 and U.S. 40 corridors in eastern Jackson County; the North Oak corridor north of the Missouri River; and the Metcalf/Shawnee Mission Parkway corridor in Johnson County. TIGER funds will support transit infrastructure improvements, including additional transit centers, better pedestrian access to transit facilities, bus stop improvements, and traffic signal priority for buses

 Sheriff's Department Graduates 8 Deputies

The Wyandotte County Sheriff's Department held a graduation ceremony this past Friday, September 24th in the Commission Chambers. There were 8 Detention Deputies that completed about 8 weeks in the Basic Training Academy.
 
"The eight recruit Deputies that graduated the Basic Detention Deputy Training Class have shown remarkable competence and skill while navigating through the curriculum," Sheriff Don Ash said. "They have come together into a cohesive team and have supported and challenged each other to excel. We are very excited to get them to work in the Detention Center." 
 
A slide show during the ceremony captured some of the  arduous and intense training exercises the Deputies were put through. Now the real work begins Jail Administrator, Jeff Fewell, told the graduates. 

 2010 Graduating Class 

Renaissance Festival Takes Talents Downtown

The long awaited completion of the soccer fields at Clopper Park in Argentine were used for the first time this past Saturday, 25th. 
 
In an effort to expand the Unified Government's youth soccer program, two irrigated fields were constructed to serve the need of this continually growing sport in our area.  The construction of additional practice soccer fields and game fields is just one of the priorities of the Parks and Recreation Department. In addition to the upgrade of the soccer fields, the park improvement project, also included new fencing, repair of the softball field, expanded playground equipment, a park bench seating area and a new sidewalk, which all began in late 2008.  

• 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM at the West Wyandotte Library, 1737 North 82nd Street, KCK
• 1:30 Pm to 3:00 PM in the Lobby of City Hall, 701 Nth 7th Street, KCK

Road Construction

Based on information provided by the Kansas Department of Transportation, the UG is able to provide motorist living in Wyandotte County with a list of roads and highways that are scheduled for construction.

Phase II Project Work to Begin on EB I-70 Kansas River Bridge in Wyandotte County

Traffic Signal Work Begins at K-7 & Polfer Road in Wyandotte County

An improvement project began on northbound and southbound 110th Street from just south of eastbound I-70 to Riverview Road in Wyandotte County on Monday, September 27. 

Crews are widening 110th Street from two lanes to four lanes in each direction.  Project work will take place during daylight hours, Monday through Friday, with some possible Saturday work. 110th Street will be closed from just south of I-70 to Riverview Road and will remain so throughout the project duration. 
 
Then on Monday, October 4, Riverview Road will close to all traffic at 110th Street and will remain so throughout the project duration.  No marked detours will be provided.  All ramps at the I-70 and 110th Street interchange will remain open to traffic.  Drivers must use alternate routes during the roadway closure.  Updated daily lane closure information for this project can be viewed online at: www.ksdot.org/kcmetro/laneclose.asp.
 
Miles Excavating is the primary contractor for this $372,000 improvement project. The scheduled completion date for the entire project is late December 2010. For more information on this project, please contact Kimberly Qualls, Northeast Kansas Public Affairs Manager, at (785) 640-9340, or Amy Pope, Bonner Springs Construction Engineer, at (913) 721-2754.