Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday chose to advance two possible sites for the future Downtown Lawrence Transit Station, including the current site in the 700 block of Vermont Street.
Commissioners were asked to consider five lots as possible locations for the downtown station and recommend three to five of them to advance to concepts.
The Downtown Lawrence Transit Station Steering Committee narrowed locations down to five sites for the commission to consider:
• Site 5: City parking lot #5 — east side of the 900 block of Vermont Street
• Site 6: City parking lot #9 — west side of the 900 block of Vermont Street
• Site 18: Current bus transfer area and city parking lot #14 — 700 block of Vermont Street
• Site 25: City parking lot #8 — east side of the 800 block of New Hampshire Street
• Site 26: City parking lot #4 — west side of the 800 block of New Hampshire Street
Lawrence Transit’s Central Station at Bob Billings Parkway and Crestline Drive opened in January, but there are five bus routes that serve downtown, and the station aims to improve conditions for bus riders and drivers. The main elements the city plans to include in the downtown station are driver restrooms, individual bus bays, next departure signs, sufficient seating, wind protection and weather protection canopies.
Several people gave public comment during the commission meeting, most specifically opposed to using either side of the Lawrence Farmers’ Market lots in the 800 block of New Hampshire Street. Some spoke specifically in favor of the current location in the 700 block of Vermont Street.
Mayor Bart Littlejohn said he was not in favor of either of the New Hampshire Street lots. Other commissioners indicated they agreed.
Commissioner Lisa Larsen said the only sites she’d like to move forward would be Site 18, the current site in the 700 block of Vermont Street, and Site 6, on the west side of the 900 block of Vermont Street.
Commissioner Brad Finkeldei said there seemed to be a lot of consensus on those two sites, but the commission had been asked to advance three to five. He questioned whether that would be enough.
Adam Weigel, transit and parking manager, said it was important that the federal government thinks the city has done a good job evaluating multiple sites, but there was nothing in documentation to require three or more sites. He would be concerned about advancing one site, he said.
As a “distant third,” commissioners would have nominated Site 5, the east side of the 900 block of Vermont Street, but ultimately they voted 5-0 to advance Sites 18 and 6.
The funding for the project is mostly coming from a federal grant. The city has been awarded an 80/20 grant — $1.6 million in federal funding matched with $400,000 in local funds.
In addition, Weigel said there might be an opportunity for additional funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation as the project moves forward.
The K-10 Connector and Greyhound buses will continue to use only the Central Station, Weigel said, answering a question raised in public comment.
Eddy Martinez, a bus driver and a member of the Downtown Lawrence Transit Station Steering Committee, pointed out to the commission that although many people believe the current location in the 700 block of Vermont Street would be least disruptive and confusing for riders, the location would likely have to change temporarily for construction of the permanent station.
The next steps will be for KDOT to help the city with concept site plans and updated cost analyses for the two selected sites.
Commissioners in November will hold a work session to provide direction on a preferred site, then take a final vote in December. Design and construction will take place in 2025-2026, according to the meeting agenda item.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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