West Lawrence Neighborhood Association:   Traffic Calming and Safety


The safety of residents, and particularly children, has long been a major concern of the West Lawrence Neighborhood Association and other neighborhood associations.   At a December 2003 meeting of representatives from several neighborhood associations and representatives of the Lawrence Police Department, the majority of the neighborhood association representatives indicated that their first concern was excessive traffic volume, excessive speed and the safety of residents.   The safety of children was a particular concern.  

In the area west of Wakarusa Drive and south of Sixth Street we are very concerned about these issues.   We are also very concerned that two developments will bring large amounts of additional traffic through our neighborhood.   These are (1) future commercial development along Sixth Street and (2) the widening of Sixth Street from two lanes to four lanes with the connection of Branchwood and Stonecreek to Sixth Street.   The widening of Sixth Street was completed in late 2005.

In July 2003 the Neighborhood Association held a meeting at which representatives of the City's Public Works Department explained some of the traffic management options which can be considered.   These include signs, speed bumps of various kinds, circles, roundabouts, one-way entrances and street closures.   None provides ideal traffic management while providing optimal freedom to the residents.   Some are clearly disliked.

We expect our residents to have various opinions about traffic management.   Those who live in cul-de-sacs are naturally more inclined to want optimal access to the neighborhood.   Those who live on busy streets, particularly those with children and pets, are naturally more inclined to want traffic restrictions.   Recognizing the diversity of opinions which may arise, the Neighborhood Association is trying to find reasonably effective solutions which will be acceptable to most residents.   Good communication and reasonable compromise are essential.

There are four areas of concern, the northeast portion of our area, Harvard Road, the southwest portion, and Stonecreek east of Harvard.   Here is additional information about each.

Northeast Portion of our Area:

The primary concern here is that of traffic using Congressional Drive, Jefferson Way, Colonial Drive and Harvard Road to bypass the corner of Sixth and Wakarusa.   The problem is aggravated by the fact that Congressional Drive and Harvard Road are relatively straight and wide.   With new commercial development on Sixth street and the widening of Sixth street, traffic problems in this area are expected to become more intense.  

To address these concerns, in January 2004, several neighbors signed a letter which pointed out their concerns, asked for traffic studies, and proposed that Congressional Drive be blocked south of the commercial property on Sixth Street.   No action has been taken on this proposal.   Because recent traffic studies have shown sufficient speed and volume to justify traffic calming measures, a combination of a gateway south of the commercial property on Sixth Street and speed cushions has been proposed (see below).

Harvard Road:

The primary concern on Harvard is excessive speed.   Persons living on Harvard Road have reported speeds which they estimate to be about 60 or 70 miles per hour on this 30-m.p.h. street.   Because traffic studies have shown sufficient speed and volume to justify traffic calming measures, speed cushions have been proposed (see below).

Southwest Portion of our Area:

The widening of Sixth Street has been finished and George Williams Way has been connected to Sixth Street.   Although Stoneridge Drive and Branchwood are to be connected soon, we do not know when these connections will be made.   After the connections have been made, traffic volume on Stoneridge and Branchwood is expected to increase a great deal.

Recent traffic studies have shown insufficient traffic volume and speed on Branchwood and Stoneridge to justify traffic calming measures on these streets at this time.   After these streets have been connected to Sixth Street, we expect to ask for additional traffic studies and for appropriate traffic calming devices.  

Because it is more sensible and cost-effective to design new streets properly than try to change them after they have been constructed, we are also monitoring new subdivision proposals very carefully.   We recently supported placing a traffic circle on Stoneridge in the newly-platted Stoneridge North area and expect to request additional traffic calming measures as other subdivisions are proposed.  

Stonecreek East of Harvard:

The problem here is primarily excessive volume of traffic.   This may change as the construction of Fox Chase South is completed.   With no clear neighborhood consensus about a solution, we have no proposal at this time.

Current Developments

In order to discuss our options, and to determine which traffic calming devices would be most acceptable to the neighborhood, the Neighborhood Association held a meeting on August 30, 2004.   About 25 persons attended.   Dislike was expressed for jarring speed bumps and circles like those seen on Harvard east of Wakarusa.   The group agreed that the Neighborhood Association should petition the City for (a) gateway structures just south of Sixth Street (and south of any commercial property) on Congressional, Branchwood and Stoneridge, (b) stop signs at certain corners and (c) speed cushions on Congressional, Branchwood, Stoneridge and Harvard.  

Traffic studies, done in September 2004, showed sufficient volume and speed to justify traffic calming devices on Congressional and Harvard.   After additional discussion with the City and the neighbors, a traffic calming proposal was developed for Congressional and Harvard.   The Neighborhood Association presented the proposal to the Traffic Commission on November 8, 2004. The proposal included,

No circles or bone-jarring speed bumps were included.   No stop signs were requested because the intersections for which these were originally considered did not meet federal standards for their having stop signs.  

To see map of the proposed devices, please click on one of the map options below.   Please keep in mind that because there are many areas where the devices cannot be placed (such as a speed cushion in line with a driveway or sewer opening), designing a good plan is difficult.


Our traffic calming proposal was approved by the Traffic Commission with the deletion of the gateways and the southern-most speed cushion on Harvard.   We then convinced the City Commission to approve our proposal with inclusion of the gateways.

In order for the neighborhood to be able to experience and react to the new devices, we believe that they should be introduced slowly.   The traffic calming devices which have been installed on Harvard east of Wakarusa have elicited so much controversy that we are not comfortable with recommending that they be placed in our neighborhood.

A new set of low speed cushions have been installed between 6th Street and Harvard on Folks Road and Mulberry.   (This short piece of road is called Folks Road at the 6th Street (north) end and Mulberry at the Harvard (south) end.)   Because these allow a vehicle to pass at about 25 m.p.h. comfortably, but not at 35 m.p.h. we think that they might be acceptable and slow traffic adequately on Harvard west of Wakarusa.   Please drive down this piece of road and to give us your opinion about it.   At this point, we plan to ask the City to pay the cost of any devices which are installed.  

The neighbors attending the August 30, 2004 meeting also requested that the speed-measuring sign be placed on Harvard and that patrolling be increased.   This has been done.


Sixth Street Long Range Development

On June 8, 2005, the Kansas Department of Transportation presented the results of an extensive study of the traffic which is expected to be generated on Sixth Street if all the proposed development along Sixth Street is completed.   The studies showed a possible delay of 25 minutes for travel between Folks Road and the South Lawrence Trafficway (K-10).   Because the result could be worse than 23rd Street is now, neighbors in the area will have to continue to monitor proposed developments and encourage City Commissioners to prevent excessive development.   Your interest and support will be needed and together we can make a difference.


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Last updated on 2/2/06.