photo by: City of Lawrence

A map indicating the locations along Crestline Drive where speed cushions will be built as part of a traffic calming project Lawrence commissioners approved this week. Construction on the plan is expected to start summer 2026.

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday night approved a traffic calming project in the Sunset Hill neighborhood that will add speed cushions along a major collector street.

The project calls for adding five speed cushions along Crestline Drive between Ninth Street and Bob Billings Parkway to address concerns about speeding and cut-through traffic along that route.

The project was selected after an application to the city’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, which asked for applications in 2024.

According to a city memo, the city sent mailers about the potential project to 683 neighborhood residents who live near Crestline Drive asking for their input. Over 100 people responded; 74 said they supporting the plan, nine said they partially supported it, and 27 did not support it.

As part of the proposal, the city performed traffic studies on the area and found that drivers averaged around 38 miles per hour through that portion of the street, which is above the street’s posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour. The section is also near two schools — Sunset Hill Elementary School and West Middle School — and has been designated by the city as a part of the Safe Routes to School plan.

Michael Leos, the communication specialist for the Municipal Services & Operations Department, said the department would begin construction on the speed cushions — which differ from speed bumps by having cutouts that can allow emergency vehicles to pass through them more easily — in summer 2026. Leos said he anticipates there will be road closures during construction, and the city will post detours for drivers during that phase.