Don't burn all your bridges, and don't do construction on them all at once either.
Those are words city leaders are trying to live by as they seek to minimize traffic disruptions caused by projects to rebuild bridges crossing the Kansas Turnpike in northern Lawrence.
Turnpike leaders confirmed Thursday that the Michigan Street bridge over the turnpike will close May 29, and likely won't reopen until December.
The work will coincide with construction near the Kasold Drive bridge that crosses the turnpike in northwest Lawrence. That means traffic volumes are expected to increase significantly on the North Iowa Street bridge.
"We feel that the North Iowa Street bridge should be able to serve the folks fairly well, but there will be more traffic on North Iowa Street, guaranteed," said Chuck Soules, the city's director of public works.
City commissioners have told Soules and his staff to do what they can to ensure the Kasold and Michigan projects move quickly.
"I'm not sure that is a good idea," City Commissioner Mike Amyx said of having both turnpike bridges closed at the same time. "We want to make sure we minimize the time those bridges are closed."
The projects, however, are not being run by the city. The Kansas Turnpike Authority is overseeing the bridge work - and paying most of the costs. The bridges are being replaced to accommodate a widening of the Kansas Turnpike from four to six lanes through Lawrence.
Once the Michigan bridge work is completed, the Turnpike Authority plans to rebuild the North Iowa Street bridge - likely in early 2008. The total cost of rebuilding the two bridges is about $3.8 million, Jacobson said. The city will pay $200,000 for a sidewalk on the Michigan Street bridge.
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can8iv66049 (anonymous) says…
Okay, that just makes me mad. I live on Peterson and the traffic is bad enough due to the Kasold issue. I am tired of hearing the crotch rockets and cars racing down Peterson in the evenings and late into the night. I can't even have my windows open on facing Peterson because of the speed demons flying down the street. I wake up hearing them and pray that they stop in time for the stop sign on Peterson and North Iowa. Plus my kids can't even enjoy being in the front yard because I have to constently remind them to stay away from the sidewalk because I have visions of a car jumping the curb and ending up in my yard. What ever happened to the round-about that was suppose to be put in at Arrowhead and Peterson? I could care less either way about those round-abouts but I was definitely looking forward to the one on Peterson, if anything to slow down the hot rodders just a little bit. I witnessed 2 cars stopped right in front of my house, one in the west bound lane and one in the middle lane, both facing west. They revved their engines (while one young lady, a passenger, was taking pictures) and took off racing down Peterson. I was standing there with my children and a neighbor and his children. Could not believe it!!!!!!
concernedparent (anonymous) says…
try driving from Perry to Lecompton every day and then tell me about an inconvienence.
can8iv66049 (anonymous) says…
Ya, that is another pain in the butt issue.......
PitBullGrandma (Paula K) says…
Again, the city "fathers" have opted to do what is best for the checkbook (which, by the way, is available to them by the citizens contributions) and worst for the citizens. Closure of those bridges will affect emergency services to people and cause traffic disasters. It will also be wonderful to watch how the school buses will be affected. Currently there are buses running through this area that serve Deerfield, Pinckney, West, Central and Free State. That's a lot of buses having to get to the students and then most likely having to drive down hole-laden dirt roads to get to 6th Street. Nothing like putting our children's safety in jeopardy while they're at it. And, anyone want to take bets on how soon Laidlaw figures this out and jacks up the price of bus fares ? We have been lied to repeatedly by the city and no intelligent person should believe that a project funded by the state of Kansas will be completed on time nor will the scenario of both bridges being closed simultaneously not occur. Is Mike Amyx the only person on the commission with a functioning brain ?
OfficeGirl (anonymous) says…
They must pay the 3 guys watching the 1 guy who actually does the work, don't ya know?
mseybold (anonymous) says…
200,000 sounds reasonable, because KTA will have to widen the bridge more than they planned to accomodate the sidewalk.... that's probably why it's so expensive.
Confrontation (anonymous) says…
I used to drive over the North Michigan bridge on a fairly regular basis, and it definitely needs a sidewalk. The bike lane stops right before you cross it, and then picks back up after you cross. It's a scary situation for walkers and bikers when crossing that bridge. The North Iowa bridge is much more walker/biker friendly.