From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Jan. 22, 1972:

Reportedly inspired by improvements completed in Osawatomie last year, members of Lawrence’s Project Action Committee had unanimously approved plans to improve a four-block area of downtown. Central to the plan was the redesign of drainage on Massachusetts Street from Seventh to 11th Streets by changing the slope of the street, lowering the center “hump” about two feet and sloping parking away from the curb so that water would be forced into troughs behind parking spaces. If approved by the City Commission and the necessary federal officials, curbs were also to be redesigned, implementing a space-saving “sawtooth effect.” The angled parking would create triangular spaces which would be used for new landscaping. Plans also called for four mid-block crossings and enlargement of sidewalk areas at five intersections. City commissioners had tentatively approved up to $100,000 per block to be spent on street redesign and repaving. An additional $350,000 was available from a federal development grant.