November 13, 2007

J. Michael Bowen, P.E.

Division Engineer, KS Division

Federal Highway Administration

6111 SW 29^th Street, Suite 100

Topeka, KS  66614-4271

Re:    South Lawrence Trafficway, Douglas County, Kansas

Dear  Mr. Bowen:

The Lawrence City Commission supports to construction and completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway (K-10) along the proposed and planned 32B alignment.  The City’s letter to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) dated May 17, 2006 was rescinded by the Lawrence City Commission, which on November 13, 2007 voted to authorize the sending of this letter.

The Lawrence City Commission supports the construction and completion of the 32B alignment for several significant reasons which will benefit the Lawrence community. The highway improvement has been needed for several years, with each year heightening the necessity of completion of this important by-pass. The safety of the motoring public is daily endangered because of the absence of completed link of the South Lawrence Trafficway between its current terminus at Iowa and the planned intersection with K-10 east of Lawrence.

Earlier this year, the City of Lawrence conducted a citizen survey to receive comments from Lawrence residents on a variety of City services and issues.  The survey was conduced by ETC Institute and received a 47% response rate.   Citizens ranked the top transportation issue which should receive the most emphasis in the future to be improvement to the ease of east/west travel in Lawrence.   This comes as no surprise to community leaders who understand

J. Michael Bowen

November 13, 2007

Page 2 of 2

that relieving traffic congestion and improving our east/west arterial flow – through the completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway (K-10) – must remain the community’s top transportation priority.

The failure to timely complete this important by-pass not only endangers the public, and significantly increases the time of travel for motorists, it has also negatively impacted our ability to attract employers to the community because those potential businesses desire an improved transportation network to move their products and serve their patrons and employees.  

The Lawrence City Commission believes that the proposed 32B alignment project will provide necessary environmental and cultural responses to the roadway improvement, and will not negatively impact the environment – once the required mitigation is completed.   No roadway or State highway is without impacts to neighbors or the environment, however, the Lawrence City Commission believes that the proposed 32B alignment provides adequate responses to these issues.

We urge you to favorably consider the position of the Lawrence City Commission in any future consideration of this important roadway.

This letter was adopted by the Lawrence City Commission on November 13, 2007.

Sincerely,

Sue Hack

Mayor

c:       City Commission

          Douglas County Commission

          Deb Miller, Secretary, KDOT