News Releases
Friday, April 20, 2012 News from the City of Lawrence
(Sent: 2012-04-20 07:01:27)NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Friday, April 20, 2012 News from the City of Lawrence
1) Lawrence-Douglas County community to decide future of transportation
2) Street to re-open at Indiana between 2nd and 3rd/water crane in service
3) City infrastructure improvement projects for the week of April 23
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(Douglas County, Kansas) - The Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization has launched its community outreach efforts for the development of a new Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The plan, “Transportation 2040” or “T-2040,” will become the region’s main planning document for future transportation system improvements.
The T-2040 development process offers extensive opportunities for public participation and input. Residents, businesses, students, and other stakeholders will have an opportunity to complete an online survey at www.lawrenceks.org/mpo/t2040. Additionally, community open house forums will be held throughout the summer in locations around Douglas County to share and receive information and ideas about transportation issues in the region.
“Engaging the public in the development of a new transportation plan for the Lawrence – Douglas county Area is an essential part of the process,” said Todd Girdler, Senior Transportation Planner. “This plan must be responsive to the needs of the people that will use our transportation system. Our goal is to create a document that is valued by our community, not something created by bureaucrats alone. We want to incorporate input from all who care to comment. This plan needs to be the community’s shared vision for the future of our region’s transportation system.”
Participants will have the chance to comment and discuss with MPO staff what they think of current and future transportation priorities and needs in person, online, and through the survey. The draft T-2040 Plan will be available for comment during Fall 2012 and the final version for comment will be available in very early 2013 or sooner.
For additional information, contact MPO Staff:
Lawrence-Douglas County Planning & Development Services www.lawrenceks.org/pds/
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Contact: Jeanette Klamm, programs manager, (785) 423-3379
(Lawrence, Kan.) - The Lawrence Utilities Department has completed construction to replace large valves at the Kaw Water Treatment Plant. Staff plans to re-open Indiana Street between 2nd and 3rd Street as of 5:00 p.m. today. The opening of the street will also make the water crane available and in service to residents and others that fill up bulk tanks from that location. The street and access to the water crane has been closed since early February.
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Contact: Megan Gilliland, communications manager, (785) 832-3406
(Lawrence, Kan.) - Infrastructure improvement projects for the week of April 23. NEW! Our construction projects listed are now available in a map format at http://lawks.us/construction-map.
Project: Curb Replacement – 8th and Massachusetts
Traffic Impact: City of Lawrence Street Maintenance crews will begin a curb replacement project at the intersection of 8th and Massachusetts Street in (NE corner). The project is expected to last one week. Parking stalls on the north side be closed for duration of the project.
Project: 2012 Concrete Rehabilitation Program
Traffic Impact: Contractors for the City of Lawrence will begin Phase A of the concrete rehabilitation program on Monday, April 30, 2012. The first concrete streets to experience traffic impacts from patching include N 3rd St from Elm St to North St, Lincoln St and Perry St from N 2nd St to N 3rd St. Through traffic in both directions will be generally maintained throughout the project with flaggers, traffic control devices and signage. There is a possibility of street closures, if necessary. Residences and businesses will be notified if access to driveways will be restricted while work is performed. Please see the following link for mapped work locations for the entire street maintenance program for 2012: http://lawrenceks.org/public_works/files/2012_comprehensive_street_maintenance.pdf.
Project: 2012 Microsurfacing Program
Traffic Impact: Contractors for the City of Lawrence will begin Phase A of the microsurfacing program on Monday, April 9. The first roadways to experience traffic impacts from patching include Connecticut, 7th to 15th Street and North 2nd to North 3rd to the city limits. Through traffic in both directions will be generally maintained throughout the project with flaggers, traffic control devices, and signage. There is a possibility of street closures on residential streets only, if necessary. Please see the following link for mapped work locations for the entire street maintenance program for 2012: http://lawrenceks.org/public_works/files/2012_comprehensive_street_maintenance.pdf.
Project: KDOT replacement of K-10/23rd Street Bridge between Haskell and Barker
Traffic Impact: KDOT began the replacement of the 23rd Street Bridge between Haskell and Barker Avenues. Crews began construction work on the shooflys that will be located on the north and south sides of the existing bridge which will handle detoured 23rd Street traffic while the new bridge is under construction. During the construction of the temporary pavement for the shoofly, traffic will be unrestricted on 23rd Street. However, beginning April 30 through mid-June, there will be intermittent lane closures on 23rd Street as the shoofly connections to 23rd Street are constructed. Construction on the new bridge itself is scheduled to begin in mid-June 2012. Once the bridge construction starts, traffic will be detoured through the project work zone via the shooflys located on the north side and south side of the existing bridge. Two lanes will be maintained in each direction until the new bridge structure is complete and opened to traffic.
The trail and pedestrian sidewalks adjacent to the existing bridge have been closed and will remain closed throughout the project duration. A marked detour will be provided for all pedestrians. Before construction begins on the new bridge structure and traffic is shifted to the shooflys, we will send updated project information out via a separate news release. Updated traffic impacts for this bridge replacement project can be viewed at: www.ksdot.org/topekametro/laneclose.
Project work on the bridge is scheduled to be completed by December 2012, while work on the frontage roads and other incidental items is scheduled to be completed mid-summer 2013, weather permitting. This project is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature in May 2010. Find out more about this and other T-WORKS projects at http://kdotapp.ksdot.org/TWorks/.
Project: KDOT construction on Kansas River Bridge (northbound lane)
Traffic Impact: US-40/US-59 (Kansas River Bridge) EXPECT MAJOR DELAYS! Northbound US-40/US-59 will be reduced to one lane over the Kansas River Bridge in Downtown Lawrence once again so crews can complete overlay work beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, March 19. Work will take place during the daylight hours only. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, March 19, crews will begin overlay work on the northbound bridge, which means more equipment and manpower will be on the bridge resulting in traffic traveling much slower during peak times especially causing the potential for increased delays. Drivers should allow extra time or use alternate routes, if possible. This is work that remains from a bridge repair and resurfacing project that began in early August 2011. The project was suspended for winter shutdown in mid-November 2011. The overlay work on the northbound bridge is scheduled to be completed in early June 2012, weather permitting.
Project: 17th and Massachusetts sanitary sewer
Traffic Impact: Private contractors are installing a sanitary sewer as part of the Dillons grocery store reconstruction on Massachusetts between 17th and 19th Street. For safety of the construction crews, some areas have been reduced to one-lane in each direction. Crews have been replacing the sanitary sewer in the intersection of 17th and Massachusetts and will continue the project southward on Massachusetts. Approximately 800-feet of sewer will be replaced with the project. The eastern-most lane of Massachusetts Street, from 17th to the entry of the Dillons property, will be affected throughout the replacement and the lane will be opened as construction work moves south from the intersection.
Project: Kaw Water Plant construction
Traffic Impact: The Lawrence Utilities Department began construction on March 5 on transmission piping and valves coming from the Kaw Water Treatment Plant. The project is expected to last through the end of March. This construction will require that the plant be shut down through this time period. Street closures with this project include 3rd Street from Indiana to Mississippi and Indiana Street from 3rd Street to the Burcham Park entrance. The park entrance will remain open and accessible via 2nd Street. Traffic impact scheduled to last through April 6, 2012.
Project: Minnesota Street waterline replacement
Traffic Impact: On March 5, city crews began this project which involves the replacement of a waterline on Minnesota St. from W. 5th to W. 6th Street. The project should be completed in late April and will be completed during the weekday working hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Work will be completed primarily within the city’s street right-of-way. Temporary No Parking zones will be established in the work site area, in addition to other parking restrictions on an as-needed basis. Cars parked in No Parking zones will be towed. Local traffic access will be maintained at all times. Temporary street closings may occur at intersections while work is in process in the area.
Project: 6th Street turn-lane
Traffic Impact: Private contractors are in the process of extending the roadway on 6th Street, west of George Williams Way. One lane of westbound 6th Street, west of George Williams Way will be closed intermittently during construction, which is expected to last until the end of May.
Project: Levee trail detour for power plant expansion
Traffic Impact: A portion of the Kansas River levee trail has been closed for the construction of the Bowersock Mills & Power Co.’s new plant on the north bank of the Kansas River. A detour on the trail will take users from the trail to city streets crossing at the controlled intersection of 2nd and Locust Streets. Signage will be clearly posted marking the detour route to direct users throughout the detour. The city urges drivers and trail users to use caution when travelling through the intersection. The detour will run for the duration of the project, which is projected to last 20 months (starting April 2011). For more information, contact the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Administrative Office, at (785) 832-3450.
Project: Lawrence Municipal Airport sanitary sewer improvements
Traffic Impact: No impacts at this time, construction activities are currently on hold.
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