photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

The Kansas River, the levee trail and the University of Kansas boathouse are pictured on Jan. 8, 2025.

Enhancing a city gateway and Lawrence’s connection to the Kansas River. Improving railroad crossings. Evaluating future economic development. These topics will be key parts of the upcoming North Lawrence Comprehensive Corridor Study.

The initial scope of the study will be presented to the Connected City Advisory Board on Wednesday just for informational purposes, but the city has budgeted $675,000 over the next two years for consultants to prepare economic feasibility services, market analysis and implementation plans that also integrate “existing infrastructure plans and land use plans,” according to a city memo. The city is seeking applications from firms, due by March 4, and hopes to have a contract signed by the City Commission later in the year.

Part of the need for the study is the desire from Plan 2040, which is the comprehensive plan for Unincorporated Douglas County and the City of Lawrence, and the Downtown Lawrence Plan to “activate the waterfront” of the Kansas River and to “enhance the gateways” of Lawrence. With North Second Street serving as “the primary gateway” into Lawrence, the study would evaluate land-use opportunities “to strengthen the connection to the river” and “enhance a variety of modes of transportation” along the route.

photo by: Contributed

Nick Kuzmyak

Nick Kuzmyak, a member on the Connected City Advisory Board, said he felt that a corridor plan like this was “long overdue.”

Kuzmyak said that despite the North Lawrence area serving as a main entrance to Lawrence and being so close to downtown, there is untapped potential along North Second Street.

The corridor study would explore future improvements at the Union Pacific underpass and at-grade railroad crossings in North Lawrence. The Union Pacific underpass has frequently flooded during rainstorms — most recently last July when the underpass was temporarily closed after flooding, as the Journal-World reported — and the city said that upgrading the stormwater infrastructure in the area would be another issue to study.

The study would also consider options to make North Second Street, which has two lanes of traffic going in each direction with speed limits of 40 to 45 mph, safer for vehicle traffic.

With the high amount of critical infrastructure running through the area — including the rail network maintained and operated by Union Pacific and BNSF Railways, the Bowersock Hydropower plant and dam and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers levee system maintained by the city — the study would also evaluate how the current infrastructure could be upgraded. Additionally, the group would study “future bridge alignments” over the Kansas River.

The project would also evaluate the area for new economic development along the corridor. The city said the report would seek to understand the current economic context and how a change in zoning or land use could “result in enhanced economic activity.” The city would use that analysis to potentially implement various economic development tools like the creation of a special tax district.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

The flood-prone Union Pacific underpass near the entrance to North Lawrence is pictured on Jan. 8, 2025.