Elementary school boundary changes made by the USD 497 School Board have necessitated updates to the Safe Routes to School plan originally adopted in 2020. The Safe Routes to School working group has proposed changes to the Safe Routes to School planned infrastructure routes, identified pedestrian improvements to be prioritized in the bicycle and pedestrian Capital Improvement Program, and made recommendations related to adult crossing guard locations.
The following elementary schools have proposed revisions to their planned infrastructure routes and/or adult crossing guard locations: Cordley, Deerfield, Hillcrest, Langston Hughes, Prairie Park, Quail Run, Schwegler, Sunflower, Sunset Hills, and Woodlawn.
Please visit lawrenceks.org/mpo/tellus to take the survey to provide feedback and to see the proposed planned infrastructure route changes, identified projects, and proposed adult crossing guard locations.
Staff will host an open house to share the proposals, answer questions and hear your thoughts on Tuesday, May 16, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Public Library auditorium. Activities for kids will be provided for parents participating in the open house.
Public comments can be provided through the online survey from May 10-23 or at the open house. All comments collected will be shared with the Multimodal Transportation Commission at their June 5 meeting for final recommendation on the SRTS plan amendment and recommended placement of adult crossing guards before the SRTS Plan Amendment and Crossing Guard decision will go to the City Commission.
Contact: Michael Leos, Communication & Community Engagement Specialist, Municipal Services & Operations – mleos@lawrenceks.org
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More About Safe Routes to Schools
The Lawrence Safe Routes to School (SRTS) initiative began in 2014 as collaborative effort between the Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, USD 497, the City of Lawrence, the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization and parents. The SRTS Plan identifies routes to elementary and middle schools and needed infrastructure improvements. It also provides a framework for encouragement and education such as bike and walk to school days and bicycle education.
Since adopting the first SRTS plan in 2015, the City of Lawrence has dedicated nearly $1 million towards implementing SRTS sidewalk and crossing improvements and received over $2 million in grants administered by the state of Kansas. This funding led to safer conditions for walking and bicycling to school. Recent examples of SRTS improvements include new sidewalks along Harvard Road (route to Hillcrest Elementary), new sidewalks along 19th & 21st Streets (routes to Cordley Elementary), and crossing improvements at 19th and Alabama (routes to Cordley Elementary and Liberty Middle). In 2022, around 22% of USD 497 students walked or biked to school.