Details are beginning to emerge about what the City of Lawrence is looking for in a massive comprehensive study of the North Lawrence corridor, which a staff member said will cost “north of a half million dollars.”
Melissa Sieben, director of Municipal Services and Operations, said her perspective led her to think the study and subsequent North Lawrence Comprehensive Corridor Plan should be broad. Learning about one problem can quickly lead to learning about others.
She said many city departments have an interest in this study, which could involve subjects such as sewers, stormwater, transportation, walkability, connectivity to downtown Lawrence, economic development, railroad crossings and more.
“Why are we trying to solve one problem when we might make more?” she told the Connected City Advisory Board members during their Wednesday meeting. “So can we look at this holistically?”
As a couple of specific focus areas, Sieben said the city is seeing increased interest in the area north of the Interstate 70 interchange, and there are some underutilized strip malls around North Lawrence.
“We we want to open up the Pandora’s box here and see what we can dream and then how we make that happen,” Sieben said.
The last city plan for the North Lawrence area came to fruition in December 1981, Sieben told the board. Lawrence city commissioners prompted the upcoming study with their February 2024 denial of a plan to seek federal funding for a project that aimed to close a portion of the Lawrence Loop downtown and build a new bridge across the Kansas River.
The RFP seeks a consultant to engage the community and conduct a study that could also be used to create a tax increment financing district for redevelopment, according to the draft.
Sieben sought the advisory board’s feedback on a draft request for proposals that will soon go to the city commission for consideration.
“I do think that a lot of the people that I know that live on that side of town like living on that side of town because it is different,” board member Katy Andrus said. “And I’m not saying that people want to be disconnected, but some people are looking for a different type of Lawrence.”
Sieben said city staff recognize “the special place that North Lawrence is,” and that its residents face different issues from other parts of the city.
“We will be looking for the best possible bidder on this one that is going to provide us with what we believe will be the best and most appropriate level and work in the engagement space,” Sieben said.
Board member Alyson Oliver said she did not see anything about equity or racial justice in the draft RFP.
“Just highlighting it a little bit better would make me feel more confident, especially given the North Lawrence neighborhood and the history in North Lawrence,” she said.
Board Chair Hilary Carter also emphasized the need to ensure displacement doesn’t occur with development. Sieben said the draft could be more direct about those priorities.
The city budgeted $400,000 in 2025 and $275,000 in 2026 for consultants to undertake the study and corridor plan.
The study will be funded through city capital improvement plan dollars, Sieben said, but she’s “all about OPM” — other people’s money. The study could help the city tap into state and federal dollars to complete subsequent projects, she said.
Here are some specifics from the draft RFP:
“The selected firm will work closely with our leadership team to:
• Assess and compare our current capacity in the areas of land use and transportation of the North Lawrence Corridor and its potential
• Evaluate community support in the proposed project
• Identify key stakeholders and potential major funding sources
• Provide strategic recommendations and timelines to maximize our success”
“The study should result in a detailed report that includes:
• An assessment of our current situation
• Analysis of our potential funding capacity
• Recommendations for project strategies and structure
• A realistic financing goal based on findings
• A proposed project budget and timeline
• Specific action items for sequenced implementation”
Here’s the complete draft of the RFP as presented to the Connected City Advisory Board on Wednesday:
20250108-North-Lawrence-Comprehensive-Corridor-Study-ScopeIt was not yet clear when city staff will bring the draft to the Lawrence City Commission, but a preproposal meeting for bidders is planned for early February.
Commissioners during their annual budget process in September already approved the funding for the study as part of the city’s capital improvement plan.
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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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