Lawrence City Commissioners have accelerated a $1.6 million sewer improvement project to ensure the city’s wastewater system can support the fast-growing population in northwest Lawrence.

At their weekly meeting, city commissioners authorized a request for proposals for the design and construction of the sewer pump station near Sixth and Kentucky streets. The improvements at the pump station were scheduled for 2007. Without discussion, commissioners approved moving the funding for this project to 2006.

“I think there’s pretty much a consensus that we need to do anything we can to resolve the problem, and we’re acting as quickly as we can,” said Mayor Boog Highberger.

In September, city staff took steps to slow new building in northwest Lawrence after they realized the area’s population was increasing faster than expected.

This project will more than double the daily capacity of the pump station from 8 million gallons a day to 18 million gallons. This pump station transfers almost of all of the waste from the northwest area to the Wastewater Treatment Plant in East Lawrence.

The city will accept designs until Dec. 12.

Bids accepted for two fire stations

Two of Lawrence’s historic fire stations will soon need new tenants.

As the city constructs new fire facilities, proposals from individuals and groups who want to use the existing stations will be accepted.

Fire Station No. 5, 1839 Mass., will become vacant in summer of 2006, when the fire department moves to the facility being built near 19th Street and Stewart Avenue. Firefighters at Station No. 4, 2819 Stonebarn Terrace, will also leave their facility next summer and move to 18th Street and Wakarusa Drive.

On Tuesday, retired Lawrence Fire Chief Jim McSwain proposed converting the Massachusetts Street station into a museum for the city’s Fire & Medical history. While commissioners seemed to like the idea, they decided to take proposals from the general public.

The city will accept proposals for both stations until Feb. 17.

Station No. 5 will be listed on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places. Station No. 4, which incorporates part of Grover’s Barn, an Underground Railroad site in Lawrence’s early history, will be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Road work ahead in North Lawrence

City commissioners took steps to smooth over a major bump in the road in North Lawrence.

The city will accept designs to repair the notorious dip in the road at North Second and Locust streets. The proposal would reconstruct the whole intersection and add left turn lanes in the north and south directions.

Commissioners approved issuing $240,000 in bonds for the construction project.

Lawrence Public Works Director Chuck Soules estimated the construction will cost $1.5 million. The city will pay for 20 percent of the project, and the Kansas Department of Transportation will pay the rest.

Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2008.