Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works Department

TO:	Charles F. Soules, P.E., Director of Public Works
FROM:	Mark Thiel, Assistant Public Works Director
DATE:	January 19, 2016
RE:	Status update on Public Works / USD 497 issues and projects

We would like to take this opportunity to update you on projects and issues we are jointly working on with USD 497 school district.

1. Pinckney Tunnel access during construction of the Pinkney School – Representatives from the City, USD 497, Old West Lawrence NA, Pinckney NA, and Oread NA met to discuss access to the tunnel during construction. The consensus was that the tunnel could remain accessible during construction except for a minimal amount of time when construction activities make it unsafe. The school’s contractor has indicated that those times will be minimal and they will notify the stakeholder group prior to any short duration closures. City staff will monitor and work with USD 497 and their contractor to insure cooperation and access to the tunnel as much as possible.

2. Cordley School – City staff held a public meeting to discuss traffic issues with student drop off and pick up, primarily focused on 18^th Street and Vermont Street. The outcome of the meeting was to install some no parking, standing, or stopping on the north side of 18^th Street between Vermont and Kentucky, No left

 turn for south bound traffic on Vermont Street at 19^th Street, and limit a portion of the parking on the west side of Vermont Street adjacent to the school. We will monitor the impact and have a follow up public meeting with stakeholders in the spring to determine the outcome of the temporary measures.

3. Langston Hughes School  - City staff held a public meeting to discuss traffic issues with student drop off and pick up, primarily focused on Diamondhead Dr. The outcome of the meeting was to install some temporary no parking, standing, or stopping on the north side of Diamondhead Dr., west of George Williams Way. We will monitor the impact and have a follow up public meeting with stakeholders in the spring to determine the outcome of the temporary measures.

4. Indian Hills Neighborhood – The sidewalk gap along the north side of 27^th Street has been completed; the raised crosswalk on 27^th Street at Naismith Valley Park has been completed. The Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon on 27^th Street at Naismith Valley Park is complete. Temporary stop signs remain at 27^th and Ridge Court & at 27^th and Louisiana Street. Traffic counts have been obtained at 27^th Street & Louisiana Street and at 27^th Street & Ridge Court and show that traffic at those locations have returned to near 2012 traffic counts. In addition to traffic counts, speed measurements were collected. They show similar or reduced speeds from the 2012 study. Staff has held a public meeting on November 12, 2015, with the same group that met during the fall of 2014 to discuss this information as well as other related traffic calming elements. The information obtained as well as staff recommendations will be presented to the City Commission February 2, 2016.

Additional City / USD project updates can be found on the attached project status update report.