photo by: City of Lawrence

A city map shows the West of K-10 growth area, outlined in red. It also includes some land east of K-10.

As the City of Lawrence contemplates jumping its long-held border along Kansas Highway 10, city leaders are due to get an update on what infrastructure and services — streets, sewers, emergency response — will be needed and how much it will cost.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will receive a presentation on a study of the infrastructure needs and costs for an area generally west of K-10. Taken together, the anticipated costs total more than $100 million.

There has been interest in developing that area, and the city has been updating its previously created plans for the area. Staff from the city manager’s office, planning department, municipal services and the fire and medical department began studying the infrastructure needs and costs to provide city services west of K-10 in early 2022, according to the memo.

The planning area is located primarily west of K-10 highway, also known as the South Lawrence Trafficway, and north and south of U.S. Highway 40, according to the city’s project website. The planning area also contains some land east of K-10. While some of the area is within the city’s current boundaries, a majority is in the unincorporated area of Douglas County not currently served by any city infrastructure or services.

In February, the city held a meeting for property owners in the area to discuss the requirements for expanding the city’s boundaries, a process called annexation. In the letter sent to property owners, the city stated it had received “various inquiries” over the past few years about annexation and development in the area. The letter states that the city was reaching out to property owners within the general area “to gauge interest in potential annexation.”

The area has been designated a future growth area for the city under Plan 2040, the comprehensive plan for the city and Douglas County. The area currently outside Lawrence is divided into two sub-areas, one ready for more immediate growth and the other for growth in the near future. The city has used the two sub-areas to designate growth in the West of K-10 area into two phases for the purpose of infrastructure planning.

photo by: City of Lawrence

A city map shows the two phases of the West of K-10 growth area.

In addition to listing some of the key major infrastructure projects, the project website includes three policy questions for local leaders: Should the city pursue a different annexation course?; should the city begin studying revisions to development policies?; and should the city prioritize the key infrastructure projects as part of its budget planning?

Details about the major infrastructure projects and costs are as follows:

•Southwest Conveyance Sewer Corridor: budgeted cost of $19 million, currently in pre-design.

•West of K-10 Water Pressure Zone: estimated cost of $11.5 million, currently included in 2024-2026 Capital Improvement Plan under future utility debt.

•Bob Billings Parkway Extension: estimated cost of $15 million for K-10 to East 800 Road, estimated cost of $7.9 million for East 800 Road to East 750 Road, and both sections unfunded.

•West Sixth Street Extension: estimated cost of $11.4 million for East 900 Road to East 800 Road; estimated cost of $7.9 million for East 800 Road to East 750 Road, and both sections unfunded.

•West Lawrence Future Sewer Lines Alignments: estimated cost of $4.5 million for phase one, estimated cost of $18.9 million for phase two. Both sections required for development but not currently in CIP.

•West Lawrence Future Water Line Alignments: estimated cost of $9 million for phase one, estimated costs of $10.2 million for phase two. Both sections required for development but not currently in CIP.

•Fire and medical coverage: Opening a new station, station 6, in 2025 is estimated to cost the city $1.6 million. The construction of the proposed Northwest expansion station and relocation of Fire Medical Station 3 is estimated to cost $16.7 million over four years, with an additional south expansion station to be added to the Capital Improvement Plan in 2027.

The Lawrence City Commission will convene at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.