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Stormwater board updates Brookside Park project, plans fixes for Rainbow Lane ditch
Summary
At a special meeting, the Lawrence Stormwater Advisory Board heard progress on the Brookside Park stormwater project — including a grant extension and outstanding punch-list work — and discussed engineering fixes and temporary repairs for drainage problems at Rainbow Lane.
The Lawrence Stormwater Advisory Board received updates on the Brookside Park stormwater project and on persistent drainage problems at Rainbow Lane during a special meeting. Board members said staff secured an extension for the Brookside Park project and are still resolving punch-list items with the contractor; engineers are reviewing options to reduce a steep ditch and improve pavement at Rainbow Lane.
Board context: Board members noted two of three board members were present for the special meeting; the third member was in transit. A staff representative reported the Brookside Park project team requested an extension from the grant administrator (referred to in the meeting as “Okra”), which the board said was granted on a Friday and moved the project deadline to April 24. Staff said the city is still awaiting communication between Lawrence and the contractor identified in the meeting as Midwest about outstanding punch-list work and that the project team’s goal is to complete the work by the new April 24 deadline.
Why it matters: The board framed both items as public-safety and asset-completion matters: members and staff emphasized correcting unsafe slopes and low points and finishing punch-list items so drainage systems operate as intended.
Project details and next steps: For Brookside Park, staff reported the city had asked for and received the extension and is pursuing closeout coordination with Midwest. Board members said the city will include questions about possible reimbursement from the contractor in the project closeout discussions.
On Rainbow Lane, the board discussed engineering plans to reduce the ditch slope and to install an additional pipe that would tie into an existing line. One board member described the existing “hyperditch” configuration as the cause of some of the drainage problems, and staff said the slope in places exceeds a 3-to-1 ratio — an engineering condition they aim to correct when weather permits. Paving repairs were described as outside the bond period for the original contractor; the board said some pavement restoration will need to be handled in-house or via alternative city funding. Staff suggested a short-term, surface-level driveway sealer as a temporary fix for granular material that did not compact properly; board members characterized that as a bandage rather than a permanent repair.
Contracting and oversight changes: Board members and staff agreed to increase in-house oversight on similar projects going forward, perform their own internal punch lists before formal closeout, and flag contractors with problematic performance so they are considered during future procurement. The board discussed that transitions in engineering staff during the original project likely contributed to incomplete punch-list work and said they will work to avoid that recurrence.
Administrative note: The board did not take a formal vote on either construction item during the meeting; staff was instructed to continue coordination with the contractor and engineers and return with updates. The board postponed approval of older minutes to the end of a later meeting when all members, including Tracy, could participate.
