Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved a plan to bring city sidewalks and curb ramps up to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The plan is estimated to cost the city and residents about $103.5 million over the next 20 years. Evan Korynta, ADA compliance manager for the city, gave the commission a presentation on the ADA Right-of-Way Transition Plan in May and returned to speak to the commission Tuesday. Federal law requires cities and states to have ADA transition plans to ensure that all people can access travel paths.
Some of the issues the city currently has with sidewalks include trip hazards, major cracks, cross slopes and more, Korynta reiterated on Tuesday. He said the city currently has about 4,500 curb ramps that need to be repaired or replaced, and about 280 miles of sidewalks and shared-use paths that need repair — about 65% of those miles — or full replacement — about 35% of them. Vice Mayor Mike Dever asked to clarify whether the commission was approving specific funds for anything in the plan on Tuesday. “The funding will be tied to the (capital improvement plan), and that’s something we’ll be discussing in the future,” Mayor Bart Littlejohn said. Lawrence property owners are responsible for paying for repairs to sidewalks adjacent to their properties. Commissioner Lisa Larsen noted Tuesday that if a sidewalk is damaged by a street tree crew or utility line, that’s paid for by the city.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday showed a range of interest in creating a “common consumption area,” which would allow folks to drink alcoholic beverages as they move through downtown. City staff members researched other communities in Kansas that have enacted CCA districts and shared their findings in a memo to the commission ahead of the meeting. Key concerns commissioners discussed during the presentation Tuesday were the costs of enforcement if additional downtown security would be needed and cleanup. Porter Arneill, assistant director of arts and culture for Lawrence Parks and Recreation, told the commission that the concept and feedback thus far is “very nebulous right now.” “Everything is a guessing game at this stage because there’s so many factors that are unknown,” Arneill said. “We don’t know what the behavior will be like. We don’t know how many businesses would actually join in on this.” The city already has a process to approve special permits to allow open consumption of alcohol during certain events, such as Lawrence Busker Festival. Some members of the public seemed to be shaken and stirred by the proposal.
Source: The Lawrence Times