Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works

 

TO:

Mike Wildgen

 

FROM:

Chuck Soules

 

CC:

Dave Corliss, Debbie Van Saun, Terese Gorman, David Woosley

Date:

January 4, 2005

RE:

6th Street Re-striping

 

 

At the City Commission Meeting on October 19, 2004 the Commission received the Road Safety Audit from the Kansas Department of Transportation.  The Audit provided several recommendations to improve safety of State designated highways within the City limits.  The report included a recommendation to improve the section of US-40 (6th Street) from east of Maine to west of Massachusetts to upgrade a five-lane roadway from the current four-lane undivided roadway.  In 2005 the KLINK project will include milling and overlaying this section of US-40.  If the Commission desires to pursue the re-striping of this section of highway to include a left turn lane, this would be the opportune time. 

 

Currently, parking is not allowed on the north side of the street.  There is sufficient room (width) to re-stripe with a left turn lane and retain the parking on the south side.  Over the last three years (2001-2003) there have been 39 total accidents in this area of which 13 included injuries to at least one person.  Using State averages of costs for accidents with property damage and injury, the cost of these accidents totals $679,250.

 

This same issue was brought to the City Commission in April 1999.  At that time there was some objection to the idea of a left turn lane and removal of parking, and the adjacent neighborhoods had not had an opportunity to make comment.  The City Commission decided to use the KLINK funds on another section of the highway (Iowa Street) and to collect input from adjacent neighborhoods.  No further discussion of a turning lane was pursued.

 

At the October 19, 2004 meeting, the City Commission recommended that this recommendation be placed on the TSC agenda and that adjacent neighbors, neighborhood associations, and other interested parties be contacted and Staff would bring back any findings and recommendations.  Property owners within a block of 6th Street, all adjacent neighborhood associations, LAN, school district, and HRC were notified.

 

On December 6, 2005 the TSC heard the item (TSC Agenda, Item No. 4, minutes attached).  After discussion and public comment the TSC unanimously recommended approval.

 

Also attached is correspondence from Old West Lawrence opposing the re-striping and approval from Lynn Zollner. 

 

 

 

 

ACTION REQUESTED:

Provide staff direction for the re-striping on 6th Street between Maine and Massachusetts.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Charles F. Soules, P.E.

Director of Public Works

 

CFS/je

 

Attachments