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Neighbors ask Lawrence council for traffic fixes and raise alarm over proposed telecom tower on Boy Scout Road
Summary
Residents of Wallingwood Drive and Boy Scout Road told the Lawrence Common Council about high speeds, safety concerns and an advertised 27-foot telecommunications utility tower proposed on Boy Scout Road. They said permit notices are unclear, attempts to reach the applicant were unsuccessful and elderly neighbors could be affected.
Residents of the Wallingwood Drive neighborhood urged the Lawrence Common Council on Feb. 3 to take action on repeated traffic-safety problems and raised concerns about a proposed telecommunications utility tower that they say was advertised with unclear location details.
Charles (Chuck) Knapp, a resident at 5728 Wallingwood Drive, told the council that drivers regularly exceed the 25 mph limit on Wallingwood Drive and Boy Scout Road, that motorists pass on double yellow lines near 90-degree curves and that elderly neighbors are at risk. Knapp said he has submitted traffic-safety requests previously and asked the city to consider stop signs, speed-limit signage or traffic-calming measures.
Knapp also said a public notice published Jan. 25 listed that AT&T hired Crown Castle to place a 27-foot telecommunications utility tower near 5828 Boy Scout Road, but that the address listed in the notice appeared incorrect and the latitude/longitude in the notice did not match nearby parcels. He said he has called the number listed on the notice and received no response and that the city’s Department of Public Works indicated a permit would be required if construction is planned in a utility easement.
Knapp asked whether the council or mayor could help pursue clarity and contact with state or utility officials; a councilor invited Knapp to remain after remarks so staff and DOT representatives could follow up. A neighboring speaker, Andrea Ostrander of 5738 Wallingwood Drive, introduced herself and said she shares the neighborhood’s concerns.
Knapp also raised public-health worries related to radio-frequency exposure and noted the National Association of Firefighters’ guidance restricting siting near fire stations; he said residents want the city and mayor to engage with the applicant and state agencies and to ensure the permitting process is transparent. The Department of Public Works staff in the meeting said any construction in a utility easement typically requires a permit.
No final action or vote was taken Feb. 3; councilors and staff said they would follow up with the resident and with appropriate city and state departments.
