photo by: Bremen Keasey

Lawrence residents in a small group work with a leader of the North Lawrence Comprehensive Corridor Study project to map out areas where they want improvements during a public workshop on Monday evening.

A grocery store, more bridges across the Kansas River and safety improvements for pedestrians: These were among the things that nearly 160 residents came up with at a public meeting on Monday when asked to “dream big” about the future of North Lawrence.

Monday evening’s meeting at the cafeteria of Woodlawn Elementary School, 508 Elm St., was the first public engagement event about the North Lawrence Comprehensive Corridor Study. The city of Lawrence is paying Kansas City-based consulting firm HNTB Corporation just under $400,000 for the study, which will analyze land use, economic development, infrastructure and transportation in North Lawrence.

Bill Madsen, a project manager with HNTB, told the attendees at Monday’s meeting that the study was about finding ways to “connect things that are disconnected” and create a “bold vision” for what residents want the community to look like.

“We want you to dream big,” Madsen said. “This is a plan that’s yours.”

Cece Riley, a city transportation planner, said the turnout was much higher than the 50 or so people the city was expecting, and she was “encouraged by the excitement in the room.”

In the crowded cafeteria, the attendees were split into groups and got to provide input on three key areas: placemaking; infrastructure and connectivity; and economic revitalization. They marked up maps of the area with the kinds of developments and improvements they’d like to see in the future.

On the maps, they used red dots to mark streets and intersections where they wanted to see safety improvements, such as the many at-grade railroad crossings and East 1500 Road. Improving pedestrian safety along that route, on which a 20-year old KU student was killed in a hit-and-run on Nov. 6, was top of mind for many of the small groups.

They also mapped out areas where they wanted new connections to the river and other parts of Lawrence. That included adding pedestrian and biking bridges across the Kansas River, such as one to connect the levee to Burcham Park or another that would link up with East Lawrence. Easier access to the river was a priority for many attendees — one group suggested having boat rental spots that could be accessed from the north side.

photo by: Bremen Keasey

In a small breakout group, Lawrence residents mark up a map of North Lawrence to highlight areas they would want to see improved as part of a corridor study. In the bottom of the map, a yellow strip of tape near the current bridge over the Kansas River suggests “improv(ing) pedestrian” access.

Residents also gave their input on economic development, and nearly all of them said they wanted a grocery store in the neighborhood. Other groups wondered about adding more mixed-use zoning to allow for more restaurants or small retail shops.

Nicole, a North Lawrence resident who did not want to provide her last name, told the Journal-World that although the meeting was a little chaotic with so many people, she was glad a big group showed up. She said that in the groups, it was clear that “a lot of people want different things,” but that most of them were focused on the same “core themes.”

While listening in on the small groups, Riley said it seemed like they were finding consensus on items that they wanted. She said she was happy many groups were coming up with big ideas, because this meeting was meant to let the community tell the city “what they really want.” This was a way to “capture the dreams” of residents, Riley said, and the city’s role will be to figure out how to make those dreams happen in the future.

Some participants were worried, though, about how the study was being conducted. Another North Lawrence resident who did not wish to be named expressed concerns about the cost of the study and wondered why the city felt the need to hire a consultant from Kansas City instead of a local group that would have a “better grasp on what we need.” Additionally, the person didn’t like that the only way to provide feedback was by writing down the suggestions in person, and that there was no digital options for people who couldn’t attend Monday’s meeting.

Nicole said that it was not great that there was no way to provide more personalized feedback during the meeting, but she said that after the small group activities she felt “very hopeful” about the neighborhood’s voices being heard.

This is not the only opportunity for residents to give their input on the North Lawrence study. Riley said the next public feedback event will be more like an open house, and it will be on Dec. 10 at the Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St.

photo by: Bremen Keasey

Attendees of a public workshop asking for residents to share what they want to see to improve North Lawrence discussing the exercises during a Monday evening meeting. The workshop saw around 160 attendees as the city asked residents to “dream big” on potential future improvements to the area.