November 3, 2021
On Thursday, November 4, installation of temporary traffic calming devices will begin at nine intersections in the Old West Lawrence neighborhood as part of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Pilot Program.
The primary goal of this pilot program in the Old West Lawrence neighborhood is to improve traffic safety by discouraging people from cutting through the neighborhood, ultimately leading to less cut-through traffic, lowering traffic volumes, possibly lowering top speeds and improving safety.
In September, the Old West Lawrence neighborhood was selected as the pilot program area through an application process open to all neighborhoods in Lawrence.
Once Old West Lawrence was selected, City staff and JEO Consulting Group worked with neighborhood leaders to understand current issues and develop a plan for potential solutions. An image of the traffic calming plan is below.
“The Old West Lawrence Association is very pleased to have been selected to participate in this pilot test,” Old West Lawrence Association President Eric Kirkendall said. “Traffic safety has long been a problem in Old West Lawrence, and recent survey responses by many of our residents showed a high level of concern about their and their children’s safety. Working with City of Lawrence engineers has been a good mutual learning experience, and their willingness to listen and search for creative solutions is much appreciated.”
The traffic calming devices being installed will be temporary and reconfigurable. Staff will compare prior traffic data with data from after installation and consult with Old West Lawrence leaders to ensure the devices are working as intended. If any negative or unintended impacts occur, the traffic calming devices will be reconfigured and new data will be collected.
For more information on the pilot program or the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program in general, visit lawrenceks.org/safer-speeds/.
Contact: Josh Carson, Public Information Officer, Municipal Services & Operations – jcarson@lawrenceks.org
