Commission awards North Lawrence corridor study to consultant, adds township and county representation to task force

The Lawrence City Commission on Sept. 9 authorized staff to award RFP No. 2500024 for professional consulting services for a North Lawrence comprehensive corridor study to HNTB Corporation, approved an engineering-services agreement not to exceed $399,650, and adopted a resolution establishing a project task force — with two additions requested by public commenters: a Grant Township resident appointed by the Grant Township board and a Douglas County-appointed planning commissioner.

Why it matters: The study will evaluate land use opportunities, riverfront connections, multi-modal transportation and economic revitalization between downtown Lawrence and the airport. Public and township representatives emphasized that the study area includes substantial acreage in Grant Township and that township residents and owners should have direct representation on the task force.

Staff presentation and scope: Melinda Harger, assistant director of Municipal Services and Operations, explained the two-phase scope tied to capital funding in 2025 and 2026 and introduced city planner Cece (Transportation Planner) and HNTB project manager Bill Madsen. Cece summarized outreach plans that include stakeholder listening sessions, visioning workshops, open houses, surveys and targeted tabling events; staff said the work plan anticipates Phase 1 community engagement and discovery through March/April and Phase 2 through November with a final plan expected later in the year.

Public comment and task force changes: Several Grant Township trustees and North Lawrence advocates asked that Grant Township be formally included because more than 40% of the study acreage lies outside the city limits. Ted Boyle of the North Lawrence Improvement Association volunteered his associationto serve. Grant Township trustees and others said they wanted both a township-appointed resident and a county-appointed planning commissioner on the task force. Planning and Development Services Director Jeff Crick told the commission that the task force is a city construct and could be modified at the commissionrequest; commissioners agreed to add the two seats requested and to have the Grant Township governing board select the township appointee.

Action: Commissioner Finkeldy moved to award the RFP to HNTB, authorize the city manager to execute the engineering agreement for $399,650 and approve Resolution No. 7612 establishing the task force with the added Grant Township resident and county-appointed planning commissioner; the commission approved the motion 4-0.

Next steps: Staff will execute the agreement with HNTB and begin Phase 1 outreach and task-force meetings; staff said a second phase scope and associated contract amendment will be brought back in January to cover additional work funded in the 2026 CIP.