1311 Prairie Ave.                                                                             6 April 2008

Lawrence, KS 66044

re:     19th Street upgrade, Project 61-GI2-1104(C)

 

Lawrence City Commission

Lawrence City Hall

6th & Massachusetts St.

Lawrence, KS 66044

 

Mayor Dever & Commissioners:

I am writing to point out that there has been an oversight in the design of the pavement improvements of West 19th Street, Ohio to Alabama.  Although called for in several planning documents, bicycle lanes have not been included in the project description nor the design as far as I can tell.

The operative document, The Lawrence-Douglas County Bicycle Plan from 24 August 2004 shows West 19th Street designated for “future bicycle lanes” on the Bicycle Facilities Map within the document.  Also, among the six objectives sections of the Plan, Objective #1 states as a program activity “Incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities into public works projects”.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Bicycle Plan grew from two prior bicycle planning guides, the Bicycle Works Program (BWP) from 2000, and the Bicycle Compatibility Index (BCI) from 1999.  In both of these, 19th Street from the east City limits to Iowa Street is indicated for bicycle lanes.  Both documents indicate that roadway geometrics east of Massachusetts St. allow for easy addition of bicycle lanes – witnessed by this already being accomplished.  But for west of Massachusetts St., both documents note that bicycle lanes should be added “when roadway improvements are proposed along this section”.

T2030 in it's final draft states that “bicycle lanes should be promoted because the separate lane provides a defined physical space for the rider . . . and helps define the importance of the bicycle as a means of transportation within the community”.

Public Works assisted the Bicycle Advisory Committee in writing the Lawrence-Douglas County Bicycle Plan, and indeed has previously incorporated bicycle lanes in roadway improvements.  It seems to me to be a no brainer – the Plan estimates that to add bicycle lanes to an existing street costs $100/linear foot, whereas to add them to a newly constructed street adds only $20/linear foot to the overall cost. 

City policy is clear that it is more cost effective to combine bicycle and roadway improvement funding into a single project.  Retrofits are more expensive.  Public Works helped formulate this principle.  Given our City's need to stretch our budgetary dollar as far as possible, it is puzzling why Public Works is not taking advantage of this opportunity to include the bicycle lanes in this segment of 19th St.  Please amend this project to do just that.

thank you,

 

Michael Almon

attachments:  Lawrence-Dg.Co. Bicycle Plan,  Bicycle Facilities Map