Northeast Kansas commuting
Mary Beth Hill talks about her daily commute to work in Topeka. Enlarge video
Mary Beth Hill, of Lawrence, drives every weekday to her job in Topeka via Interstate 70. Hill left at sunrise on Friday for the half-hour trek to the Frank Carlson Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, where she works. The Census Bureau estimates that 25 percent to 30 percent of Douglas County workers commute.
Most days Mary Beth Hill pulls out of her driveway in northern Lawrence by 7:15 a.m.
It usually takes her 25 minutes - through speedy Kansas Turnpike traffic - to get to her office in Topeka, the Frank Carlson Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse where she's a jury administrator.
"It's pretty easy, except when there's construction. (Typically) the traffic flows pretty good," she said.
The 43-year-old divorced mother of a teenage son moved to Lawrence in 1999 from Basehor. After three years of commuting from Basehor to Topeka, she wanted to be halfway between her job and her son.
"I've been doing it for so long. I just get in the car and go," Hill said.
She is part of a significant portion of Lawrence and northeast Kansas residents who travel to work in a different county from where they live.
A 2005 survey by the U.S. Census Bureau estimated between 25 percent to 30 percent of Douglas County workers, or 16,000 people, travel for work, mostly to the Kansas City or Topeka areas. Conversely, about 7,000 workers are employed in Douglas County but do not live here.
Commuters have different reasons - such as their job type, schools, entertainment, family needs, the scenery - for living here or in other smaller communities and traveling more than 20 miles for work.
Whether they find carpool buddies or prefer solitude, their vehicles rack up miles.
Driving sport utility vehicles or more fuel-efficient models, commuters watch fuel prices like hawks.
They dread the potential for higher turnpike tolls, and detest road construction and sudden bad weather.
But they all have different reasons for keeping the lifestyle, and for most, they don't have to endure the gut-wrenching, traffic-congested, snail's pace of a commute as in many larger cities.
Having a significant commuter population also affects communities in various ways, whether it is fluctuating sales and property tax rates, home prices, wages, economic development opportunities or other factors.
Being between Topeka and Kansas City is both an advantage and disadvantage to Lawrence.
"What it ends up doing is attracting folks who work in communities but don't necessarily want to live there," said Bryan Dyer, a Lawrence resident and senior long-range planner for the city of Olathe.
A commuter's morning
At 7 a.m., Hill still had an hour before she had to be at work in Topeka. She had already packed her lunch, but she wanted to leave her house in the 600 block of Durham Court soon to beat most of the state-employee traffic that hits eastern Topeka from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. weekdays.
"A lot of times I'm running around the house talking to myself so I don't forget anything," she said.
It was sunny outside, but she already knew that after her nightly ritual of checking the weather forecast before heading to bed.
She stuffed several food items and a can of Coke into a bag before letting out her dog, Millie.
Hill hit the lights and entered the garage where she settled into her familiar driver's seat in her gold 2000 Honda Accord that has 166,000 miles on it.
Then she was off. It's only a three-minute drive to the west Lawrence Turnpike entrance, where she breezed through the K-Tag lane along with dozens of other cars.
"There's something to be said about not having to face the sun going to and from work," Hill said.
Traffic was relatively light, and she switched her radio between classic rock and top 40 FM stations.
"It just kind of lets me get into work mode," she said. "I can think about what I need to get done and then get there and get going."
Regional transportation effect
The commuter population of northeast Kansas factors into almost any transportation-planning conversation.
According to U.S. Census data, about 5,500 Douglas County residents commute to Johnson County; 3,000 work in Shawnee County; about 1,500 go to Jackson County, Mo.; nearly 800 travel to Wyandotte County; and lesser amounts are spread among other area places.
Kansas Department of Transportation planners are focusing on how to improve the four-lane Kansas Highway 10 east of Lawrence and into Johnson County, and possible tolls along that road have been floated as an idea.
"We know that something is going to have to happen - not only widening but other options," said Dave Schwartz, KDOT's statewide planning engineer.
Traffic volumes are mostly high on K-10's eastern end in Johnson County during morning and afternoon rush hours, particularly when drivers are merging or changing roads. Topeka's heaviest traffic tends to be all within one-half hour any time from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. in the mornings and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. during evening instead of spread out over several hours like in major cities, Schwartz said.
"We do try to accommodate that major rush, but we also know that we can't always build our way out of things," he said.
Cliff Galante, Lawrence public transit administrator, said transportation planners have to take into account how residents in northeast Kansas frequently travel among the three major cities in the area for both work and shopping.
Oftentimes, the term "bedroom community" gets a negative connotation because it means workers leave during the day, putting less businesses at home to form a community's tax base.
"I don't know that we really see it as a negative. We recognize that that's just part of our city and has been for a long time," said Jeff Dingman, administrator for Baldwin City.
For smaller cities, it's often a challenge to try to balance needs of commuters and those who live and work there, he said.
Kirk McClure, a KU associate professor in urban planning, says the census data from 1990 and 2000 shows that Lawrence has a level of commuters below the national average and that most workers are still employed within the city.
"Despite all of the complaints, we are actually in a fairly enviable position," McClure said.
But the situation might bear watching, he said, because within those 10 years, Lawrence's percentage of commuters increased 5 percentage points, compared with the national average's increase of 3 percentage points.
Being a home to several commuters can be a compliment to Lawrence if people want to keep jobs in larger cities but move to here for the school system or something else, McClure said. It also could mean that wages in Lawrence are generally too low, he said.
Carpools
More than 250 Lawrence-area residents have accessed Rideshare, an Internet forum that connects people in need of carpooling partners. The Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, Mo., offers access to the service.
Nationally and in Douglas County, carpooling is not the norm. The city of Lawrence conducted an unscientific survey that found only 14 percent of respondents commuted in a carpool, although 60 percent of the people indicated they would be interested in either joining one or using intercity public transportation.
With many people commuting into Lawrence to work at Kansas University, Johnson County Transit this year started offering a K-10 Connector or bus service that links KU's Edwards Campus and Johnson County Community College with the Lawrence campus.
For some, finding a good set of carpool buddies can be a blessing, especially when fuel prices head toward $3 per gallon.
"We have great conversations, and it helps save money on gas," said Laura Harrington, 22, a Lawrence resident who works at the Kansas Health Institute in Topeka.
Laurie Putthoff, an Overland Park attorney who drives 37 miles to work from her Tonganoxie-area home, agreed that finding a decent carpool can create camaraderie within the group.
But a carpool makes it difficult to run errands during the day if she didn't drive, and it can restrict her work schedule.
"I start feeling bad if I leave late," Putthoff said.
Others feel like they need to have more control of their schedule, so they ride alone.
Happy at home
Harrington is a research assistant at the Kansas Health Institute in Topeka, where she studies child immunization. She grew up in Lawrence and moved back after college because she enjoys the artistic scene and downtown atmosphere, but she said she would not be able to find work studying the same topic in Lawrence.
"I'm at this job because I like what I do here, and it's not at all because I want to work in Topeka," Harrington said.
Dyer, the Olathe planner, drives his pickup truck every weekday east on K-10 from his south Lawrence home. He grew up in Lawrence and worked for the city of Lawrence before taking an opportunity three years ago to be an Olathe senior planner.
He makes the daily commute even though it cuts time out of his day because he wants to keep his daughter in school in Lawrence, and his wife still works here.
"I certainly have other things I could be doing other than driving," he said.
Potentially, commuting time can take away people's chances to contribute to their home communities, he said.
Barbara Carswell, a Capitol Federal Savings vice president in Topeka who commutes from Lawrence, says a good model for commuters to follow is balancing one's career, family and community.
She advised getting involved in community organizations - although it might be easier for her because she worked in Lawrence for several years and her children are grown.
"I definitely feel a very strong part of Lawrence and Douglas County, and yet, two-thirds of my waking hours are not spent here," Carswell said.
For some area commuters, their employers offer scheduling flexibility and the opportunity to occasionally work from home.
But it can be a lifestyle that requires tradeoffs - such as time in the car each day - for happiness.
"I like to come home to the open spaces," said Putthoff, the Overland Park attorney who lives in rural Tonganoxie.
Hill, the jury administrator in Topeka, says commuting is an effort that can become smoothly implemented with the right steps and planning, such as finding information about traffic, weather and evening business hours for stores.
"If there was one central place we could go to find everything," she said, "that would make things a lot easier."
Comments
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458casul (anonymous) says…
my point the three or four stooges Schauner,Boob,Rundles,Moody have LOST 1000 jobs not gained at all and they say they created 1800 jobs liars liars liars i will not vote for liars
Kirk mcclure Mr gloom and Doom admits we have lost jobs let me say that again lost jobs
i told ya what would happen with the three stooges in office now get them out
458casul (anonymous) says…
The title to this story should be, Jobs leave town,,,
458casul (anonymous) says…
merrill you have nothing to say.Can you say Schauner,Boob,Moody,Rundles are liars jobs created zero,jobs lost 1000
citymanager (anonymous) says…
Schauner and Highberger read the headline and "Get in the car and go" somewhere else and take Moody with you.
merrill (anonymous) says…
In 1971 the State Highway Commission recommended a bypass for Lawrence not a trafficway to be built south of the Wakarusa river. The bypass is far more practical for future highway demands. Douglas County does need a bypass not a trafficway.
As a matter of practicality KDOT could consider two different proposals?
Number One:
Scrap all other plans.
The 32nd street plan will continue to be opposed that is a given. The 42nd street plan will come with stiff opposition from the original proponents of the 32nd street plan. This also is a given as Bob Johnson has stated publicly.
KDOT could then proceed to add two more lanes to the existing western leg thus safer travel for all users. Four lanes would likely draw more new traffic to I-70 which would be good. Proceeding forward with the western leg could accomplish several things:
¢ A George Williams Way(15th Street) interchange
¢ Removing the traffic light thus a design that makes this intersection safe for YSI athletic fields patrons
¢ Ultimately much safer travel between Iowa and I-70
Number two:
Spend tax dollars on a more practical application for this point in time. Introduce appropriate plans designed to meet the future needs of four counties. Bring Johnson,Douglas,Jefferson and Leavenworth county leaders together and suggest all assist in funding bridges across the Kansas River. Residents and business of all four counties would benefit from the project. Also makes more use of I-70 which is a good thing.
This route could join County Road 1057/1900rd @ Kansas Highway 10 existing interchange. This concept accomplishes many things.
It services:
¢ Johnson ,Douglas, Jefferson, Leavenworth and Shawnee County drivers going to and from southern JOCO.
¢ the Eudora Business Park east of 1057.
¢ East Hills Business Park and the southeast Lawrence industrial park.
¢ the Lawrence airport.
And it:
¢ diverts traffic around the city of Lawrence.
¢ reduces congestion for morning and afternoon commuters.
¢ might save Douglas County taxpayers millions of dollars on the long term
¢ is prudent use of tax dollars.
¢ eliminates the need for an eastern bypass.
¢ eliminates much large truck traffic on 23rd Street
none2 (anonymous) says…
I guess there are many people who don't know how to read. This article was about commuting -- not about so called lost jobs.
I've been commuting to various jobs since 1985 -- long before the current commision. If you think any of the candidates (incumbent or not) are going to change the job situation here in one or two terms, then you are smoking something funny.
The number of jobs a town has doesn't mean squat if the wages of those jobs is less than what one is capable with their talents or education. As long as this town puts up with employer who pay less than the regional wages, people will want to look for work elsewhere.
Between under priced salaries, college students desperate for work, and too many people basically guaranteed work and retirement through the government, Lawrence is a very poor job market. It will take a miracle to change the situation - not just a particular set of people on a city comission.
lunacydetector (anonymous) says…
i wonder if schauner and highberger commute together when they go to work in topeka? i wonder if moody maynard will criticize schauner and highberger if they drive separately? since driving is supposed to be a key factor in the global warming crisis and since a vote for maynard moody will end global warming (at least that's what her t.v. ad said), surely there would be some criticism or does being enviromentally friendly only apply to everybody else?
...and speaking of being environmentally friendly, shouldn't it have been the goal of our sitting commissioners to keep lawrence residents working HERE instead of traveling outside of the county for work? shouldn't they have done their job to create good paying jobs for the populus? if moody maynard will stop global warming (if elected), shouldn't lawrence be a haven for business? shouldn't our sitting commissioners been pro-business and pro-job creation instead of being anti-business and anti-job creation?
actions speak louder than words. their lack of action has been a contributing factor to the far reaching global warming crisis.
...as for the anti-SLT people. isn't city driving more polluting than highway driving? aren't the anti-SLT people contributing to the global warming crisis as well, by preventing a more environmentally friendly way for people to travel?
the hypocrisy is astounding. does lawrence deserve more of the same "al gore" types running the show?
PLEASE on tuesday, get out and vote!
merrill (anonymous) says…
Remember if retail,economic and residential impact studies had been executed during the 20 year reign of the real estate/development industry controlling our City,County and planning commissions our retail and residential likely would not be overbuilt today and higher paying jobs would have been substantial part of the growth plan. However those tools were ignored by the business people who were governing Lawrence. It was said many times "that business people know what they are doing".Obviously they made some seriously wrong decisions instead of using the proper tools of decision making.
Lawrence,Kansas cannot afford a return to that laissez-faire style of government that Commissioners Hack and Amyx are quite familiar. Lawrence,Kansas needs to move forward with commissioners who WE KNOW will use the proper tools/resources for decision making.
Vote for Dennis "Boog" Highberger, David Schauner, and Carey Maynard-Moody.
lunacydetector (anonymous) says…
retail is NOT overbuilt, period. this statement is proven.
a vote for highberger, schauner, and moody is a vote for global warming.
Thats_messed_up (anonymous) says…
Merrill, I can't believe I actually read your first post but having said that you've proved your stupidity once again. Lets build a bunch of bridges across the Kansas river at millions and millions of dollars expense instead of completing the already funded SLT at 32nd street because a bunch of idiots (Booger, Rundle, Schauner, Moody) feel the need to protect a pit of mud and mosquitoes. Tuesday its all over--finally!
moderationman (anonymous) says…
I am a commuter. I live in Lawrence because I want to. I work in Jackson County, Missouri. I don't want to live there. I would happily work in Lawrence if there were positions in my field that paid something close to the national average salary. There aren't and as long as there are college students and recent grads that will work cheaply, that will not change.
Over the long term, you connot buy job growth with tax incentives, it just doesn't work. The short term gain will be more than obliterated when the firm leaves after someone else offers a better deal. I will be voting to keep Lawrence from becoming Olathe west. If I wanted to live in Olathe, or anywhere in Johnson County, I would move there.
sunshine_noise (anonymous) says…
The number of jobs a town has doesn't mean squat if the wages of those jobs is less than what one is capable with their talents or education. As long as this town puts up with employer who pay less than the regional wages, people will want to look for work elsewhere.
none2 - very well said
They want to Toll K-10? More increases? How are the people who live and work here who low wages to pay for this? (Among all the other living increases?) That would mean there would ONLY be one free road out of Lawrence? Bull. This is Bull. Instead of working so hard at raiseing taxes, talking about roads and housing how about working on raising the state min. wage? Which candidate is talking about this issue? i don't hear you!! i'm not voting for anyone who doesn't have this issue on their plate.
458casul (anonymous) says…
like I said before the three stooges lost 1000 jobs no gain as they have said they have brought 1800 jobs can you say liars liars
what have they done
1.roundabouts 10 million wasted
2.studys 1 million wasted
3.lawsuits 1.2 million wasted
4.traffic calming 1.4 million wasted
5.said no to new biz sales tax 6 million wasted
6.schauner,boob,rundle leaving office
,,,,,,, priceless,,,,,,,
how many kids could that have feed for a year
formerlyKS (anonymous) says…
Only 3,000 Lawrence residents commute to Topeka everyday? When I lived in the area, it seemed much larger than that. The statement I always heard from those living in Lawrence was "I love Lawrence...it has everything," to which I always added, "except jobs obviously."
Seriously, Lawrence would be only 40,000 people if people actually worked where they lived...it is a leech on the larger economies nearby. The Lawrence commuters, like many on this board, always trashed Topeka, yet T-town was ultimately responsible for their livelihood. A real city has jobs...rather than having to escape elsewhere to find employment. If people hate Topeka so much, then get the hell out and leave your job!!!
I hated Kansas as it lacked good weather, jobs, culture and scenery (yes, even Lawrence was boring and dull)...about the only thing going for it is that it has cheap housing.
cyclelust (anonymous) says…
So far, I don't think anybody has mentioned express buses. Commuting is a fact of life and we can play the blame game or we can move on and look at ways to make the commute more tolerable.
When I lived in Denver, I could hop on an express bus for two dollars and travel to the edge of the foothills in Boulder. The distance between these two Colorado cities is just about the same as the distance between KC and Lawrence. So what gives? Why can't we have more express buses or a light rail that connects the two cities? I know of one express bus that just recently started running between the Edwards Campus in Overland Park to the Park and Ride here in town. Why not expand that and make it attractive to people who need to commute?
I guess I'm just being too idealistic. Far be it for me to want something progressive to happen in Kansas. It would contradict the image of this fine state.
Sigmund (anonymous) says…
I'm going to move to Mars where there is no global warming. Wait a minute yes there is. It is amazing that human are exporting human global warming to another planet!
walkdog262 (anonymous) says…
Man that was a long story. Don't people commute in and out of every town in the world? Some stay, some go, some come from out of town. Earth-shattering.
none2 (anonymous) says…
formerlyKS,
With that kind of attitude I doubt if many people miss your presence here. Truth of the matter is people that are bored simply are boring themselves -- regardless of where they are.
person184 (anonymous) says…
Posted by right_thinker (anonymous) on April 1, 2007 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think, "Get In The U-Haul And Go"
Good idea, RT. I'll reserve one for you.
none2 (anonymous) says…
cyclelust,
We don't have that much of a population corridor to have mass public transit between Topeka Lawerence KC. It sounds nice that they have a bus from KU to JCCC & Edwards campus. However, I couldn't use it as I need to go another 6 to 8 miles. I would need public transportation for that portion as I think College Blvd isn't cycle friendly -- assuming that the KU JCCC route would let you take your bike.
I may look to see if there is a JoCo bus that goes from JCCC to where i need to go, I doubt it would have very convenient times.
Keep in mind that there are SO many destinations that people may need to get to in the KC metro. Likewise, there are different hours that people need to work. That really complicates matters.
The truth of the matter is what society lacks is a vision of telecommuting. While there are occupations that require the person to be present, many don't. Unfortunately, too many employers just cannot adjust to the telecommuting model. They cannot fathom that a person is working if they cannot physically see, smell, touch, etc the person that they have to manage. (Or if they do, they want you half way around the world working at a fraction of the typical salary.) If the model shifted from a physical presence accountability to one were the person was judged by their work output, then we could make a lot more progress. Even with public transportation or car pooling, nothing would compare in savings of energy to a savings that could be seen with mass telecommuting.
Kansas City in some ways is a communications hub with Sprint, Embarq, and other such companies, yet this region doesn't leverage that fact. KU should also work on making more classes available long distance. Unfortunately, KU's answer to long distance is to drive to Edwards Campus.
formerlyKS (anonymous) says…
Let us be serious for a minute. Other than costs, there is no reason anyone would move to Kansas as opposed to the coasts; Kansas--Lawrence included--is flyover country. I don't see that cesspool called Clinton Lake as being a tourist attraction anymore than Overland Park is just another suburban sprawl nightmare. It looks like anywhere else, except it all lacks oceans, mountains, and any real tourist activities.
Lawrence is, and always will be, nothing more than a glorified bedroom community. The people feel they're too good to live in Topeka or Kansas City, but if you're really committed to your city--you live and work there.
none2 (anonymous) says…
Many of the commuters don't work for the government. Keep in mind too that many of the jobs of NON-commuters are government jobs. I found this info @ http://www.lawrencechamber.com/ecodev...
(I don't know how up to date it is.)
The top 6 are:
The University of Kansas
Number of Employees: 9,396
Pearson Government Solutions
Number of Employees: 1,800
Lawrence Public Schools
Number of Employees: 1,710
City of Lawrence
Number of Employees: 1,250
Lawrence Memorial Hospital
Number of Employees: 1,200
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Number of Employees: 760
The World Company
Number of Employees: 600
So as you can tell by far the largest employers here are government or companies that are heavily associated with government. Thus if the government (state or local) were to cut back on spending, then he number of people who work here would drop more significantly than those that commute.
Keep in mind too that not all commuters came from the KC area or the Topeka area. I've never lived in either place. I came to Lawrence for KU and simply stayed. Unfortunately, the job market has always been and unfortunately will most likely continue to be pathetic for anybody who wants to make a decent wage for their talents.
I decided a long time ago that I was going to live where "I" wanted to live, NOT at the mercy of this employer or that employer. I thought we left that kind of mentality back with the feudal days or more recently with the dictatorial methods of the communists.
We need all kind of jobs in Lawrence as long as they pay a decent wage. If we want a bunch of cheap jobs, then all we will attract is illegal immigrants and citizens who will need MORE governmental services to make up for not making enough money for housing, food, medical care, etc.
New jobs need to include blue collar, white collar, & any other shades of collars that one can think of. The secret is diversification. Some sectors may not make it, but it is a lot better long term then putting your eggs in one or two baskets. Right now, Lawrence's strength is the massive amount of money that the government pours into this community and the fact that so many are willing to drive so far to bring the bacon back to Lawrence.
none2 (anonymous) says…
formerlyKS,
Komrad, you need to go back to Cuba or North Korea where they make sure you live where you work. I lived in California for a while and also in Washington DC. I also lived in SE Asia for 3.5 years. I've been to the Northwest US, Canada, and several countries in Europe.
Kansas is my home because i choose to live here, not because it is so cheap. If I wanted cheap, there are places in the south east US that are cheaper.
Not all of us need to live in some kind of Disneyland or a place with oceans and mountains to keep from being bored. Some of us stimulate our minds to keep from boredom instead of expecting others or the environment to constantly entertain us -- its a sign of maturity.
I support my community by living here despite the fact that the wages are pathetic. KC and Topeka are not my home and never will be. Not all of us want to live in a big metropolitan area. If in your mind that makes me better than people who do live there, then that is your misconception.
misseve (anonymous) says…
Pearson Government Solutions
Number of Employees: 1,800
Its now called Vanget Inc and is still hiring and pays better than most jobs here. They are paid per the AWD set by the DOL and its better than the pennies most employeers think ppl here should make. I chose to NOT commute becaue I hated it. I was lucky to get my job at the wages i have them..
Now back to the previously posted comments
Thats_messed_up (anonymous) says…
''A 2005 survey by the U.S. Census Bureau estimated between 25 percent to 30 percent of Douglas County workers, or 16,000 people, travel for work, mostly to the Kansas City or Topeka areas.''
If these 16,000 commuters each have one family member then 32,000 Lawrence and Douglas county residents rely on commuting for their livelihood. If the average is a family of 3 then 48,000 residents rely on commuting for their livelihood. The three candidates who are dead against building the rest of the South Lawrence Trafficway (Booger, Schauner, Maynard-Moody) could care less what 48,000 of their constituents want.
If you are sick and tired of sitting still at 20 different stoplights in gridlock traffic twice a day to get to work and back---do not vote for these idiots!!!!!!!!
vote bush, dever, chestnut!!! Screw the mud and mosquitoes! The "baker wetlands" weren't even wet before 31st street was put in.
none2 (anonymous) says…
I"m a commuter and I think the SLT plans are stupid: we already have 31st Street. It simply needs to be widened.
If we need another cross street in addition to 31st it should be south of the Wakarusa so that traffic from the south on US59 not destined for Lawrence won't add to Lawrence Traffic.
So don't lump all commuters in the same boat.
citymanager (anonymous) says…
Quote: Cary Maynard Moody
December 1, 2001 LJworld article
"People spend so much time in their cars they don't have time to spend on their communities"
Maybe that could explain Schauner and Highberger's dismal record as city commissioners over the last four years?
OldEnuf2BYurDad (anonymous) says…
I spent nearly 13 years commuting to KC (most of that time going all the way into Missery, a 100 mile round-trip that crossed 5 counties). I hated it. I did it because lawrence has no jobs (unless you really dig the lucrative pay of fast food and retail). I never made more than $20K working in Lawrence. I more than doubled that by commuting to KC.
I left work to go to grad school and vow to never commute again. What a sorry waste of time; time that I'll never get back.
formerlyKS (anonymous) says…
Let me put it this way:
If 16,000 people showed up to Lawrence every day to work, trash your town (both verbally and physically) then drove home, only to complete the cycle again the next day, you'd probably not like it. You would wonder why these people felt they were too superior to live in the area that provides them their livelihood. As much as the mantra of "Support Lawrence" seemed to be pushed, you really aren't supporting the town by deserting it for 40+ hours per week to earn your income. Those who are the biggest contributors to their community are those who live and work there. Period. I remember working in Topeka and constantly hearing all the grumbling by Lawrence residents: "Why do I have to be here," "This place sucks," "I can't wait to get back to West Lawrence," etc. None of this sports morale in the office or in the community. I'm just asking you to see how it feels with the shoe on the other foot for once. Hypocrisy feels awful, doesn't it?
none2 (anonymous) says…
FormerlyKS,
You have such a limited capacity to understand the many reasons that people choose to commute. No two commuters will respond the same way. If you cannot comprehend commuting, then that is your problem. You can go back to the days of fifedoms or other such ancient days when one was forced to work right where they live.
By the way we have LOTS of people who come to Lawrence that aren't permanent. Have you ever heard of KU? Have you ever heard of alumni for KU games?
Should we ban outsiders from coming to KU games?
Should we build fortress cities where you cannot enter the city unless the duke/lord/mayor has given you permission to pass?
I love the college students, the alumni, the parents, etc that come to town either for a game day or for 9 months of the year. Sure on game day they may trash the town with beer cans, etc. They can also add to the traffic congestion when the game is over. However, it is all how you look at it. They make the community vibrant. They pump money into the community.
Would you criticize someone in Lee Summit who works in Blue Springs? Would you criticize someone who lives in the WestPort area, but works at the KU Medcenter on the Kansas side? Would you insist that when someone looses their job they have to uproot their lives and their families if the new job isn't within so many blocks of their old employer?
Also when you are working those 40 or so hours, you are supposed to be working for your employer -- not some community -- UNLESS that specifically IS your employers area of work. If you are out shopping in the community, when you are supposed to be productive, then you should loose your job. If you spend all your time chit-chatting about the town you are also not working. Hopefully, you do not have a government job, where the tax payers are supporting your inactivity.
dorothyhr (Dorothy Hoyt-Reed) says…
I know people who live in Topeka and Kansas City who have to drive 30 minutes to get to their jobs, so what 's the difference? My husband works at the Fort and I teach out of town, partly because of the money, partly because we like where we are working. But we love Lawrence. We love the parades, the concerts in the park, the artsy things that happen all the time (like last weeks dance across Lawrence). We will be retiring in 10-15 years in a house that has 1 story right next to a bus route, so we can give up driving if we want. We'll be in a town where we know and can count on our neighbors, and where we can take classes at KU, the Art Center, or Parks and Rec. There are free lectures and concerts, and hopefully we'll have enough money for a season ticket at the Lied. Until then we will commute, but come HOME to Lawrence.