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:	Tarik Khatib, Chief of Police Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief Charles Soules, Director of Public Works Ernie Shaw, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation
DATE:	February 7, 2013
RE:	2013 Kansas Half Marathon

Health Care Access has requested city approval and support of the Kansas Half Marathon, comprised of a half-marathon, 5K and kids run to be held in Lawrence on Sunday, April 21, 2013. The Kansas Half Marathon is a not-for-profit event with all proceeds benefitting Health Care Access.

Race Routes

The races would start at 7:30 a.m. and Health Care Access’s preferred route is depicted on the attached map. The route starts on the 900 block of New Hampshire Street, travels through east Lawrence, the Barker Neighborhood, the University Place Neighborhood, KU campus and the Clinton Parkway recreational path. The 5K follows the same route as the half marathon but turns back at an earlier point.

The race will require the closure of the 900 block of New Hampshire before, during and after the race (approximately 6:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.) to accommodate the start/finish area. Race organizers have discussed the street closure with The Summit at 901 New Hampshire. Other than the Arts Center, other businesses on the 900 block of New Hampshire have access off of the surrounding streets, and the parking garage will be accessible via the 9^th Street entrance. Race organizers will maintain a traffic lane free of non-movable obstructions on New Hampshire Street from 10^th Street to the north end of the garage for fire access.

Volunteers and police officers will control intersections as needed along the route. Volunteers will ensure access to the Praise Temple church at 7^th and Connecticut, and race organizers will communicate race plans to the church so that they can inform their members in advance. Volunteers will also staff watering stations along the route and be responsible for any litter cleanup along the route.

City staff will notify the Lawrence Arts Center, the Salvation Army, Downtown Lawrence, Inc., the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association, the Barker Neighborhood Association, and the University Place Neighborhood Association via email of the City Commission consideration of this event.

Health Care Access has requested the closure of one westbound lane of Clinton Parkway from Iowa Street to Inverness Drive. Runners would occupy the outside lane and the adjacent recreational path, and vehicles would travel in the remaining lane. Runners would be separated from vehicles by cones. The Police Department strongly recommends against allowing this, due to the danger of runners stepping into traffic or a vehicle drifting into the runners’ lane at relatively high speed.

The Police Department prefers an alternate route which starts on the Haskell campus and travels through East Lawrence, downtown, the Barker Neighborhood, and the Park Hill Neighborhood. This route is a variation on the event’s 2011 route, and avoids a few major traffic issues that Health Care Access’s preferred route experiences – crossing Massachusetts, Kentucky and Tennessee on 17^th; and crossing Kasold on Clinton Parkway.

City Approvals and Support Needed

Race organizers request City Commission approval of a temporary use of right-of-way permit for their preferred route on Sunday, April 21 from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Race organizers will obtain a special use permit from the Parks and Recreation department for the use of the Burroughs Creek Trail.

Health Care Access has requested the donation of city services in support of the event. Based on past experience these services will likely cost the city about $6,000. The major items requested are the following:

Traffic control and traffic control devices as specified by the Lawrence Police Department. Race organizers have been meeting with Police Department staff to make adjustments to the route and traffic control plan.
Standby medical support for the race by as many units as are determined necessary by the Fire Medical Department.
Patching of pot holes along the race route.
Placement of a 20 yard dumpster near the start/finish area.

ACTION: Approve a temporary use of public right-of-way permit for various city streets from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, 2013, for the Kansas Half Marathon, including the closure of the 900 block of New Hampshire Street, and approve the donation of city services in support of the event, if appropriate.