photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Lawrence City Hall

As sidewalk improvements become a citywide emphasis with funding programs, the City Commission is set to decide on about a half-million dollars worth of specific sidewalk improvement work at its meeting on Tuesday.

City staff is recommending approval of a $562,265 bid to Sands Construction LLC as part of the 2023 Pedestrian Improvements Project that will reconstruct or newly construct sidewalks at eight locations.

If approved, construction of new sidewalks would begin on Wisconsin Street from Fifth Street to Fourth Street and at Harper Street from East 25th Terrace to East 23rd Street. Improvements to the sidewalks will also happen at Wisconsin Street from Fifth Street to Fourth Street.

Other areas for sidewalk reconstruction include:

• West Ninth Street from Murrow Court to Madeline Lane

• Arkansas Street from Eighth Street to Seventh Street

• East 10th Street from Rhode Island Street to Connecticut Street

• West 11th Street from Tennessee Street to Kentucky Street

• West 12th Street from Tennessee Street to Kentucky Street

• East 19th Street from New Hampshire Street to Rhode Island Street

Once the bid is awarded, work could begin soon, and the city estimates the sidewalk projects would be completed by November.

This potential approval for the project comes just after the city approved a 20-year, $103 million funding plan in July to replace or repair pedestrian paths like sidewalks and curb ramps to ensure they are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. An estimated $5,173,750 per year would be set aside to replace or repair sidewalks across Lawrence.

In other business, commissioners will consider:

• Giving final approval on an ordinance that would give Google Fiber the ability to extend its infrastructure into Lawrence to offer broadband in the city.

The City Commission first voted on the ordinance back in July. This would be the second reading and give final approval to the project.

As the Journal-World previously reported, Google Fiber would pay the city 2% of all revenue on services paid by the residents or businesses, according to the ordinance. In addition, Google would pay the City of Lawrence $4.20 per quarter per resident subscriber, with slightly higher rates for businesses that end up subscribing to Google Fiber. The money generated through this arrangement would go into the city’s general fund.

• Approving the demolition request for the former Allen Press properties on the northwest corner of 11th and New Hampshire streets.

The property at 1041 New Hampshire St., as the Journal-World reported, was recently purchased by Lawrence developer Tony Krsnich. Krsnich said the site, if demolished, would be used as a temporary storage of construction materials for new lofts being built by his team at 1010 New Hampshire St., right across the street.

The Historic Resources Commission recommended the approval of the demolition request back in July after code officials in the city found the structure was “detrimental to the public health and welfare.” HRC commissioners did express concern about the lack of a future plan for the site, but members of the development team told the commissioners during a July 18 meeting they are weighing multiple different development options at the site.

• Approving a $325,255 purchase agreement between the City of Lawrence and ChargePoint Inc. to buy charging equipment for electric buses.

Back in 2022, the city received a federal grant worth $3,279,655 to transition four diesel buses in Lawrence Transit’s fleet and replace them with four zero-emission battery electric buses. The purchase of the charging infrastructure is a last step to allow the deployment of the electric buses.

Lawrence Transit said to remain on track to first deploy the new electric buses in winter 2024, the purchase needs to be completed. If approved, the electrical infrastructure is expected to be delivered Oct. 1 so that it can be installed by the end of the year.