Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will provide their feedback on the proposed capital improvement plan that lays out multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects the city might undertake over the next five years.
They will hear a presentation from Alley Porter, budget and strategic initiatives manager for the city, about the 2026-2030 CIP.
Projects that are included in the CIP cost $100,000 or more and “result in either the creation of a new asset or enhance the life of an existing asset,” according to the meeting agenda item.
The city pays for projects using multiple methods. Some projects are cash financed, meaning they’re paid for with funds the city has on hand. Others are paid with debt financing, meaning the city takes out bonds to cover the cost of a project and pays those back with interest over a set period of time.
A few funded projects
Altogether, the projects city staff members have recommended for funding over the next five years come to about $386.5 million, with a large portion of that cost — $157.3 million, or about 40% — slated for 2026.
Another $470 million in projects would go unfunded over the next five years under the proposal.
The largest expenses in the proposed five-year CIP are connected to the Municipal Services and Operations campus under construction on the eastern edge of town. It’s estimated to cost about $130.2 million altogether, with costs spread over multiple years. Read more about that at this link.
Other pricey projects include the watermain replacement/relocation program, estimated to cost $28.9 million over the next five years. Utility relocations for the expansion of the Kansas Highway 10 west leg are estimated at $6 million in 2026 in the CIP.
The 2026 CIP includes $5.5 million for the street maintenance program. There are separate expenditures of $1.2 million for improvements on Iowa Street from Sixth Street to Harvard Road, and about $4.7 million for Massachusetts Street from 14th to 23rd streets.
Another $2.6 million in 2026 will go toward the Americans with Disabilities Act Right-of-Way Transition Program under the proposed CIP. Federal law requires cities and states to have ADA transition plans to ensure that all people can access travel paths, though the feds are not providing funding to make it happen, and Lawrence’s is estimated to cost the city about $103.5 million over the next 20 years.
The CIP also includes about $2 million budgeted in 2027 for the Downtown Lawrence Transit Station.
Timeline
The commission considers the CIP in conjunction with the annual city budget process.
Commissioners will hear a presentation on the city manager’s proposed budget on Tuesday, July 8, and hold a public hearing on the budget on Sept. 2, according to a timeline in the meeting agenda. (Public comment on the proposed budget will be allowed during the July 8 meeting as well, but the formal public hearing is a legal requirement the city must fulfill.)
On Sept. 16, commissioners will consider adopting the budget and capital improvement plan.
Meeting info
Lawrence city commissioners will meet at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, June 17 at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St. See the complete agenda at this link.
The commission accepts written public comment emailed to ccagendas@lawrenceks.org until noon the day of meetings. The commission also hears live public comment during meetings, both in person and virtually. Register to join the Zoom meeting at this link.
Tuesday’s is the last commission meeting that will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@lawrenceksvideo. Commissioners voted on June 3 to cease livestreaming meetings effective July 1. Read more about that at this link.
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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.
Lawrence city budget coverage
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
