Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works

TO:	Dave Corliss, Interim City Manager
CC:	Debbie Van Saun, Terese Gorman
FROM:	Chuck Soules
Date:	May 26, 2006
RE:	Kansas Department of Transportation Five-Year Plan Update

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests the City to update the 5-Year Construction Plan annually. Currently, the City receives approximately $1,000,000 each year from the State. These funds are available for improvement projects on existing roadways functionally classified as collector or arterial. The projects included in this plan are all funded 80% by KDOT, up to the maximum set-aside of approximately $1 million, and the remaining 20% is paid by the City. These funds are available for only construction and inspection. The City is responsible 100% for the cost of right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, and engineering design.

Status of Current Five-Year Projects

Kasold Drive Bridge over the KTA. This project is underway.

23^rd Street, Iowa to Louisiana. This project is the city’s Access Management Project scheduled for bid in June 2007. This project is funded as Economic Development.

Kasold Drive, Peterson to KTA. This project is scheduled to bid October 2006. Final plans are complete. Some right-of-way needs to be acquired. The State is reviewing final plans.

Intersection, North 2^nd Street and Locust Street. Rebuild intersection. This project is scheduled to bid in October 2007.

Intersection of K-10 and Harper. This project is for the construction of a right turn lane on northbound Harper to eastbound 23^rd Street / K-10. Scheduled to bid January 2008. This project is a geometric improvement.

31^st Street, Ousdahl Road to Louisiana. Due to limited Federal funding, staff is recommending that this project be removed from the plan and replaced with 19^th & Louisiana. The project is scheduled for October 2008. Part of this street is outside the city limits and will require County participation. The State has set a maximum Federal participation of $400,000 on this project. Estimated cost will be between $3-4 million.

Kasold Drive, 6^th to 15^th. In 2005 the City Commission approved placing this project on the 5-Year Plan for FY 2010; however, due to a shortage of funds was not approved. Estimated construction cost - $4,000,000.

Other options evaluated include:

§ 23^rd Street and Iowa. Construct geometric and traffic signal improvements including construction of double left turn lanes with a median and right turn lanes on all four legs of the intersection per the study completed by TranSystems Corporation in 1999. Estimated construction cost = $2,800,000. This project needs additional review. Right-of-way costs may be excessive, potentially doubling the cost of the project.

§ 6^th and Michigan Intersection Improvement. Construction of a left turn lane on Michigan, south bound. Traffic volumes warrant a separate left turn lane at this intersection. Estimated construction cost is $900,000.

§ Kasold Drive, Trail Road to Peterson Road. Before annexation Kasold Drive was an old county chip seal road. Curb and gutter were added after annexation. The road has significant structural issues and will need to be reconstructed. Estimated cost of approximately $4,000,000.

§ Bob Billings Parkway, from George Williams Way to Frontage Road. This would be the extension of Bob Billings Parkway to K-10 access. This project does not include an interchange. Costs need to be reviewed (at this time estimate $2.5 million).

§ 19^th Street, (Ohio to Alabama) and Louisiana Street Intersection Improvements. This section of road has a PCI of 31.5. This project could also include the lengthened left turn lane on 19^th to southbound Louisiana, a third center turn lane on 19^th west of Louisiana, and a widening of the return radius northbound to eastbound. This project would not construct a roundabout at this intersection. Signals could also be improved for the protected westbound to southbound left turn. Estimated cost, $800,000. (Refer to attached 19^th Street staff memo.)

All of the above estimates are construction costs only and do not include engineering design, right-of-way acquisition or any utility relocations. KDOT only participates (80%) in the construction costs.

Recommendation:

The available funding works like a balance sheet. In FY 2009 the City will have only $400,000 available and, therefore, it is recommended that a smaller project (other than 31^st Street, Ousdahl to Louisiana) be completed (i.e., 19^th and Louisiana).

These projects take 27+ months to develop. The City has received notice from KDOT to have an engineer selected for the FY 2009 project (CY 2008) which at this time is 31^st Street, Ousdahl to Louisiana.

The attached draft was forwarded to KDOT for preliminary review to confirm that it would be a fundable program. Other options could be reviewed if the City Commission desires.

Action Requested: Provide staff direction on 5-Year Plan.

Respectfully submitted,

Charles F. Soules, P.E.

Director of Public Works

CFS/je

Attachments: 5-Year Plan (Approved/Proposed)

Map