By MICHAEL BUSHNELL
Northeast News
June 20, 2012

The Kansas City, Missouri City Council unanimously voted June 14 to approve Ordinance No. 120480, which vacates Highland Avenue between Independence Boulevard and Missouri Avenue to the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

The ordinance will cede to KCUMB the section of Highland that now bisects the campus. The move closes a popular shortcut to Independence Boulevard for Northeast residents wishing to avoid the often malfunctioning stoplight at Missouri and Woodland. The ordinance takes effect in 10 days. 

According to Larry Stice in the City Planning Department, KCUMB must construct a public sidewalk on the east side of The Paseo between Independence and Missouri Avenue, as well as either remove the public streetlights on Highland Avenue or remove them from the public grid. Once those two criteria have been met, the ordinance will become official.

Officials with KCUMB noted that the vacating of Highland Avenue figured heavily in their long-range campus plan but stressed there were no immediate plans to permanently close the street to public traffic.

“We’re working on balancing the needs of our students as well as the impact of any closure on our neighbors to the north,” said Lisa Cambridge, a spokesperson for the university.