Bottom line

Lawrence city commissioners will discuss plans for hiring an engineer and moving ahead with plans for building an eastward expansion of 31st Street.

Tuesday night, commissioners will consider:

¢ approving an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation regarding the 31st Street project.

¢ asking professional engineering firms to submit their qualifications, a precursor to hiring engineers to design the project.

The project would extend 31st Street from Haskell Avenue to O’Connell Road in southeast Lawrence.

The city has access to $800,000 in federal transportation financing for the project. The money can be used to help finance design work, property acquisition and construction, said Chuck Soules, public works director.

Such road projects can cost $3 million to $4 million per mile, Soules has said, indicating that the 31st Street project could cost upward of $10 million.

Background

In late 2005, the city learned that U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., had been pushing to include $800,000 for a 31st Street extension in a federal transportation bill. It was the same bill that earmarked $1.5 million for the uncompleted South Lawrence Trafficway.

In June, city staffers submitted documentation to initiate the 31st Street extension, which now has a tentative start date of October 2008. But that date could be changed, given that the city has 10 years to complete the project.

Starting the design process is necessary because state officials will not allow property acquisition to begin until so-called “field check” plans are up to 70 percent finished.

A 2001 report commissioned by the city and Douglas County determined that 31st Street would need to be extended by 2012 to handle expected traffic volumes in the area. The study said the new 31st Street would be needed regardless of whether the trafficway was completed.

Other business

Other business

¢ Conduct a study session regarding infrastructure and budget items, beginning at 4 p.m.

¢ Recognize of the 50th anniversary of the Lawrence Community Nursery School at the Little Red School House.

¢ Proclaim April 2229 as the Week of the Young Child.

¢ Proclaim April 2327 as Tree City USA Week and Friday as Arbor Day.

¢ Proclaim Saturday as Headquarters Counseling Center Life Support Day.

Consent agenda

¢ Agree to buy a compact pickup with service body for the utilities department from Shawnee Mission Ford for $22,355, and a pickup for the finance department from Shawnee Mission Ford for $16,913.

¢ Hire J.F. McGivern for $49,100 to paint the city’s pump station No. 16.

¢ Agree to buy a compact pickup for the utilities department from Shawnee Mission Ford for $17,272.

¢ Agree to buy a pickup with a tommy lift for the utilities department from Shawnee Mission Ford for $17,097.

¢ Agree to buy a cab and chassis for the public works department from Laird Noller Ford for $15,597.

¢ Agree to buy Badger transmitters and Orion software for the finance department from Midwest Meter for $21,500.

¢ Agree to accept bids until May 15 for the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program at 2205 Learnard Ave., 639 Mo. and 320 Crestline Drive.

¢ Agree to accept bids until May 29 for painting and caulking of the pool at the Lawrence Aquatic Center.

¢ Waive competitive bidding requirements and authorize the distribution of two Requests for Qualifications: one for a plant project described as Wakarusa Water Reclamation (WWRF) and the Four Seasons facility including lift station modifications, a new holding basin and a new force main; and another for a conveyance project described as an influent pump station and force main to the WWRF and upstream gravity line to the influent pump station.

¢ Approve an ordinance, on first reading, to authorizing the sale, consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages May 11-12 at Broken Arrow Park for the Lawrence Sertoma BBQ Cook-off fundraiser.

¢ Approve an ordinance, on first reading, to condemn property interests at 2300 La., as authorized by commissioners Feb. 20.

¢ Adopt an ordinance, on final reading, changing the name of the Recycling & Resource Conservation Advisory Board to Sustainability Advisory Board and adopting new by-laws.

¢ Authorize City Manager David Corliss to sign project agreements and issue requests for proposals for using Historic Preservation Fund Grants to finance portions of three items: downtown design guidelines, a south Massachusetts Street survey, and a design review intern.

¢ Allow posting of “no parking” signs along the race route for the Collegiate Cycling Road National Championships, to be conducted May 13.

¢ Allow posting of directional signs for the Spring Parade of Homes, Saturday through May 6.

¢ Agree to change the school crossing on 15th Street at Engel Road to a pedestrian crossing with appropriate signs.

¢ Authorize Mayor Sue Hack to sign a resolution of support and administration for the Lawrence Safe Routes to Schools Phase I Application.

¢ Authorize Corliss to enter into a license agreement with Lawrence Freenet to install communications equipment on designated traffic control signals throughout the city, pursuant to Historic Resources Commission review and approval as necessary. Lawrence Freenet also seeks approval to install communications equipment on a city water tower on Harper Street, subject to a Sprint-Lawrence Freenet lease agreement.

Regular agenda

¢ Receive the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department’s annual report.

¢ Consider adoptiing the 2007 Action Plan of the Consolidated Plan.

¢ Consider approving three recommendations from the Traffic Safety Commission: Deny a request to make traffic control changes at the recreational path crossing at Sawgrass Drive; prohibit parking along the west side of Tennessee Street, adjacent to 21st Street; and establish No Parking School Days along the west side of Oak Tree Drive, adjacent to a school crossing at Vantuyl Drive, from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

¢ Consider authorizing Hack to execute an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the construction of 31st Street, from Haskell Avenue to O’Connell Road, and authorize distribution of Request for Qualifications for professional engineering services for the construction.