Prairie Park elementary students walk home past a memorial to 6-year-old Bryce Olsen who was struck and killed by a minivan three weeks ago. At left is a bush that obscures driverÃs view at the intersection. Fred DeVictor, director of the cityÃs Parks and Recreation Department, said Monday officials had received a formal complaint from traffic-safety officers, starting the process that allows City Hall to get rid of the obstruction at the intersection of Harper Street and East 25th Terrace.

Three weeks after 6-year-old Bryce Olsen was struck and killed by a minivan, a bush that obscured the driver’s view remains untrimmed.

Fred DeVictor, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, said Monday that officials had received a formal complaint from traffic-safety officers, starting the process that allows City Hall to get rid of the obstruction at the intersection of Harper Street and East 25th Terrace.

“We haven’t done anything yet, but we will work with the lady who owns that property to get it resolved to meet the standard that we have in the code,” DeVictor said.

Olsen was riding on a scooter when he was killed. Douglas County Dist. Atty. Charles Branson declined to file charges against the driver, 45-year-old Peter Matthias Kwesi Afful, in part because shrubbery obstructed Afful’s view of the intersection.

Lawrence residents who drive regularly through the area say the large honeysuckle bush blocks their view when heading south on Harper Street.

“I’ve almost been hit in my vehicle and have seen people almost get hit,” said Monica Lemmons, who uses East 25th Terrace to take her kids to school. “I usually see something almost happen about once a week.”

Debora Deering, another nearby resident, said she also has problems with the bushes at that intersection.

“You have to stick your nose out of the car just to see the cars coming,” she said.

She said the spring bloom would make the problem worse, obscuring the intersection’s stop sign.

According to the regulations, no tree or bush on a corner lot near an intersection can be taller than 36 inches. DeVictor said the process is to give notice to the property owner. The owner then has five days to comply before action is taken at the owner’s expense.

The owner of the house, an elderly woman who did not want to be identified, said she has repeatedly contacted the city to express her concerns the bushes on her corner are obstructing motorists’ view and has been told the bush will be dealt with soon.

On Monday, DeVictor did not have a timeline for removing the obstruction.

“I do not know that,” he said. “I’m not sure when (the formal complaint) came in. I don’t know what our schedule is.”