Install road barriers, gather feedback, rinse and repeat: the city’s pilot traffic calming system in Old West Lawrence is moving on to a second round this week, and some roads will be closed to through traffic while adjustments are made.

The 600 block of Maine, 700 and 800 blocks of Michigan, and the 800 block of Mississippi streets will be closed to through traffic on an alternating basis from Wednesday through Friday, March 16-18, weather permitting.

City workers will change up some of the traffic devices that were installed in early November as part of a pilot project to reduce traffic and speeding on Old West Lawrence’s neighborhood streets. The city has been collecting data on traffic, plus feedback from residents.

“The collected data showed that traffic volume was reduced by 23% on the neighborhood’s local streets, but there was an increase in volume on Maine and Michigan streets,” according to a city news release Monday.

“To address the equity of the impacts, the City is removing a few of the devices in order to allow traffic volume to redistribute away from the streets that saw an increase. The City will be adding new devices to address speed and volume concerns on Maine, Michigan and Mississippi streets.”

Specifically, planned revisions include removing a diagonal diverter at Eighth and Mississippi streets, the additions of temporary and permanent speed cushions, a permanent traffic circle at Eighth and Michigan streets and more.

Here’s a full map:

OWL-Proposed-Revision-Map

The city will repeat the process of gathering data and feedback from residents. That will include a second online Lawrence Listens survey. The first survey received almost 500 responses.

Then city staff will bring the results to the Lawrence City Commission with a “potential recommendation for permanent traffic calming devices,” according to the release.

The project website has more information, including before and after traffic data.

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