Ordinance committee backs new parking layout, raised crosswalk for Henry K. Oliver School; police review ordered

The Lawrence Ordinance Committee on Tuesday voted to send to the full City Council a proposed alteration of on‑street parking and pedestrian crossings around the Henry K. Oliver School, while asking the police department and Department of Public Works for technical follow‑up before an ordinance is drafted.

The plan presented by Dan McCarthy, City of Lawrence planning director, and John Hart of SMMA would consolidate three existing crosswalks on Haverhill Street into a single, raised crosswalk with a rapid‑flashing beacon activated by a push button, add one accessible parking space on Haverhill Street, and create designated drop‑off lanes on the north side of Haverhill and the south side of Oak Street. The project will remove parking on stretches of Oak Street to provide turning clearance for fire apparatus and buses; project staff told the committee the net loss is about 22 on‑street spaces, primarily on Oak Street.

Why it matters: Committee members and neighbors said the redesign aims to concentrate pedestrian crossings and improve safety for children…