Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

 

FROM:

Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager/City Clerk

 

CC:

Ron Olin, Chief of Police

Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief

Charles Soules, Director of Public Works

Ernie Shaw, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation

 

DATE:

August 17, 2010

 

RE:

2011 KC MS 150

 

 

The Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau is working with the Mid America Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to have Lawrence designated the overnight location for its 2011 KC MS 150 Bike event on September 17, 2011 (see attached message from the CVB). The KC MS 150 is the Mid America Chapter’s largest fund raising event, with more than 1,800 riders participating. On 09/17/11 the ride will start at Garmin International’s parking lot in Johnson County, and the riders will travel west to Lawrence, ending at South Park for the day (see attached bike route). Bike participants will resume their ride early Sunday morning by retracing their route back to Garmin.

The Mid America Chapter requests a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for Friday 09/16/11 through Sunday 09/18/11 allowing the closure of Massachusetts Street between North Park Street and South Park Street from Friday at 1:00 p.m. through Sunday at noon, closure of North Park Street from Massachusetts Street to Vermont Street from Saturday at 6:00 a.m. through Sunday at noon, and closure of the Community Building parking lot from Saturday at 6:00 a.m. through Sunday at noon. The Mid America Chapter is negotiating an agreement with the Parks and Recreation Department for the use of South Park, the South Park Recreation Center, and the Community Building for an overnight “Cycle Village” for many of the riders to spend the night on Saturday.  

 

The proposed ride route into Lawrence will be west on N 1400 Road from Eudora, north on Noria Road, west on 15th Street, and north on Massachusetts Street to South Park. Because this is a ride, not a race, riders will be trickling into Lawrence throughout the day on Saturday and will be able to obey regular traffic signals and stops, thus not requiring major law enforcement support. On Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. riders will begin leaving together in waves, requiring more law enforcement support. The route and traffic control plans are not fully formulated at this time, but the organizers would like to obtain approval for their use of the streets around South Park so that Lawrence can be announced as the 2011 destination next month at the 2010 ride. The organizers have indicated that they would like Lawrence to be the annual overnight destination for the ride.

 

The organizers have also requested donation of police and fire medical services in support of the event. The level of support has not been determined at this time. Staff will continue to work with the organizers and will bring back any necessary items for City Commission approval as the plans are developed.

 

ACTION:       Approve a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for the 2011 KC MS 150 from Friday 09/16/11 through Sunday 09/18/11 allowing the closure of Massachusetts Street between North Park Street and South Park Street from Friday at 1:00 p.m. through Sunday at noon, closure of North Park Street from Massachusetts Street to Vermont Street from Saturday at 6:00 a.m. through Sunday at noon, and closure of the Community Building parking lot from Saturday at 6:00 a.m. through Sunday at noon, if appropriate.

 

                   Approve donation of police and fire medical services in support of the 2011 KC MS 150, if appropriate.