photo by: Contributed via HNTB Corporation

A rendering of a pedestrian bridge that would span over Iowa Street near the K-10 interchange in Lawrence. It is part of a $6 million agreement the city has with the Kansas Department of Transportation for local projects as part of the expansion of the western leg of K-10.

As construction crews work to expand the western leg of the South Lawrence Trafficway, the city is working with the construction firm on aesthetic improvements near the Iowa Street interchange, including the addition of a new pedestrian bridge.

The $170 million project to expand the west leg of the trafficway — which is also Kansas Highway 10 — from two lanes to four is led by the Kansas Department of Transportation, and construction started in October. In addition to the expansion, the city has a cooperative agreement with KDOT for around $6 million for local projects.

Included among those are a $1.5 million pedestrian bridge across Iowa Street, and the city is also requesting design plans for aesthetic enhancements at the Iowa Street and K-10 interchange, according to a city memo.

David Cronin, an engineer with the city’s Municipal Services and Operations department, told the Journal-World via email that the new bridge would serve as a replacement for the current crossing of the Lawrence Loop in that area.

Cronin said the idea for adding a pedestrian bridge in the area was first initiated in 2022 as the planning for the SLT expansion project was being brainstormed. Cronin said the bridge would be elevated over the traffic instead of the current crossing that is on the road, which will be a safer connection for pedestrians.

“The bridge provides an improved east/west connection for the Lawrence Loop over Iowa Street,” Cronin said.

Along with the pedestrian bridge, the Lawrence chamber of commerce and city staff are interested in ways to improve the appearance of the area around the bridge so that it would better serve as a gateway to the city. The City Commission approved on March 18 an additional $300,000 to be moved from the Capital Improvement Plan to work on the SLT design projects.

Cronin said that the design of the pedestrian bridge would be similar to the rendering provided by KDOT, although the fences would be black.

The project will also add another shared-use path on the east side of Iowa Street near the bridge, which is expected to cost $130,000.

The work on the SLT is expected to last through 2028.