Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Department of Public Works

 

TO:

Charles Soules, Director of Public Works

FROM:

David Woosley, Transportation/Traffic Engineer & Shoeb Uddin, City Engineer

Date:

9 July 2008

RE:

Request for a SIGNALIZED MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING on 9th Street between Highland Drive & Sunset Drive

TSC 6-2-08; Item No. 3

 

Background:  On June 2, 2008, the Traffic Safety Commission heard a request from area residents to establish a SIGNALIZED MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING on 9th Street between Highland Drive & Sunset Drive.

Dana Lattin and Sean Williams, both neighborhood residents, spoke in favor of the request, and presented a 3-page petition signed by additional neighborhood residents.  Concerns are the volume of traffic, approximately 17,000 vehicles per day, and the difficulty crossing the street.  In fact, a marked school crossing was removed in this area in the 90’s due to the lack of safe gaps in the traffic stream and the reluctance of parents to allow their children to try to cross the street.  A similar crossing is on Massachusetts Street at South Park where Massachusetts Street carries approximately 16,000 vehicles per day. No one from the public spoke in opposition to the request.

The TSC voted unanimously 8-0 recommending approval of the request and that requested priority funding.

Staff recommends the Signalized MID-BLOCK CROSSING as an alternative to the previously approved sidewalk project on the north side of 9th street from Sunset Drive to Iowa Street; there have been a number of challenges (in implementing the sidewalk project) including right of way acquisition, obstruction due to the stone wall at 1716 W. 9th Street and steep topography. The proposed MID-Block crossing will essentially provide a continuous path from Sunset Drive to Iowa street along the south side of 9th street.

Estimated costs for the proposed MID-BLOCK CROSSING and the sidewalk project are $35,000.00 and $45,000.00 respectively. Based on these estimates, it appears that it will cost the city approximately $10,000.00 less if the MID-BLOCK CROSSING is selected as an alternative to the sidewalk project.