Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works 

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, Cynthia Boecker, Diane Stoddard

FROM:

Chuck Soules

CC:

Dena Mezger, Shoeb Uddin

Date:

November 14, 2007

RE:

KTA Projects

 

The N. Michigan Street Bridge is currently closed.  The Kasold Bridge (recently reconstructed) and N. Iowa Bridge are open.  It is anticipated that the N. Michigan Street Bridge will be open around/after the first of the year.  After the completion of the N. Michigan Street Bridge the KTA will begin work on reconstructing the N. Iowa Street Bridge.  The contract completion date for the N. Iowa Street Bridge is June 27, 2008.  News releases and portable message boards will be used to notify the public of exactly when the N. Iowa Street Bridge will be closed.  Posted detour routes include Douglas County Road 438, K-10, 6th Street, Kasold Drive, and Peterson Road.

 

In 2008 the KTA will embark upon the replacement of the Kansas River Bridges.  These bridges were constructed in 1955 and are approaching the end of their useful life.  The schedule and construction phasing includes:  bid letting scheduled for May 2008, starting date of June 2008, and completion mid-2011.  This is one of single largest projects the KTA has undertaken, with an estimated cost of $140 million.

 

The Kansas River Bridge project includes new bridges with six lanes, new toll plaza with additional lanes at East Lawrence (Plaza 204), and interchange ramp improvements at the east and west Lawrence (Plaza 204 and 202) exits.  At the completion of this project there will be six lanes of traffic on the KTA through Lawrence.

 

Phase 1 of the project begins with the May 2008 bid and is expected to last to Fall-2009.  Phase 1 will include a new westbound bridge over the Kansas River and ramp improvements at Plaza 202 (West Lawrence).  There will be no westbound access to and from Plaza 202 for approximately eight months.  Traffic heading west will need to use the East Lawrence exit (Plaza 204), or the Lecompton exit (Plaza 197). 

 

During Phase 1 the City and KDOT will be rebuilding the intersection at 2nd and Locust.  Undoubtedly, additional traffic will exit the KTA at the East Lawrence exit (as the West Lawrence exit will be closed for westbound vehicles).  The City and KDOT project will maintain at least one lane of traffic in each direction at all times.  ICL and North Lawrence have been included in discussions about traffic.  Trucks going to ICL will be detoured onto Lyon Street and Third Street.  Maintaining one lane of traffic through/under the railroad bridge will create tight/narrow lanes; therefore, the speed limit during construction will need to be 20 m.p.h.

 

Phase 2 will begin in Fall-2009 and last for approximately 15-18 months, or late-2010.  All traffic will be moved to the westbound bridge with two lanes in each direction.  The original bridges will be removed and the eastbound bridge constructed.  Plaza 204 (East Lawrence) will be closed to all traffic for approximately eight months.  The West Lawrence exit (Plaza 202) will be opened at this time. 

 

Phase 3 will include work in the median (grading, paving, and barrier construction),  and other miscellaneous tasks.  Total completion is expected in 2011.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Charles F. Soules, P.E.

Director of Public Works

 

CFS/je

 

Attachment:   Construction Schedule Information