Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager/City Clerk
CC:	Tarik Khatib, Chief of Police Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief Charles Soules, Director of Public Works Ernie Shaw, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation
DATE:	March 9, 2012
RE:	2012 Kansas Half Marathon

Please update the 03/13/12 City Commission agenda with this item. Organizers of the Kansas Half Marathon have been working with the city on a route for their race and received approval from the Police Department this afternoon. Because the route includes closure of the 900 block of New Hampshire, City Commission approval is also necessary. The request is being processed later than intended because the upcoming closure of the Burroughs Creek Trail underneath the 23^rd Street Bridge during the bridge reconstruction caused the organizers to go back to the drawing board on their previous route, and it has been difficult to find a half-marathon course that can be adequately staffed by the Police Department. The organizers of the race request placement on the 03/13/12 agenda because the next meeting is not until 03/27/12, and the organizers need to be able to publicize the route.

Troy Fitzgerald, on behalf of Health Care Access and the Kansas Half Marathon, has requested city approval and support of a half-marathon, 5K, 10K and kids run to be held in Lawrence on Sunday, April 22, 2012. The Kansas Half Marathon is a not-for-profit event with all proceeds benefitting Health Care Access.

Race Routes

The races would start at 7:30 a.m. and are proposed to follow the route depicted on the attached map. The route starts on the 900 block of New Hampshire Street, travels through east Lawrence, the Barker Neighborhood, the Oread Neighborhood and the KU campus. The 5K and 10K follow the same route as the half marathon but turn back at earlier points.

The race will require the closure of the 900 block of New Hampshire during the entirety of the race (approximately 7:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m.) to accommodate the start/finish area. Race organizers have discussed the street closure with the Arts Center and 901 New Hampshire and will be contacting the other businesses on the street this weekend. Other than the Arts Center, other businesses on the 900 block of New Hampshire have access off of the surrounding streets, and the parking garage will be accessible via the 9^th Street entrance. Race organizers will maintain a traffic lane on New Hampshire Street from 10^th Street to the north end of the garage and Arts Center free of non-movable obstructions for fire apparatus access.

Volunteers and police officers will control intersections as needed along the route. Volunteers will ensure access to the Praise Temple church at 7^th and Connecticut, and race organizers will communicate race plans to the church so that they can inform their members in advance. Volunteers will also staff watering stations along the route and be responsible for any litter cleanup along the route.

City staff will notify Downtown Lawrence, Inc., the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association, the Barker Neighborhood Association, the Oread Neighborhood Association, the Oread Residents Association and the University Place Neighborhood Association via email of the City Commission consideration of this event. The race should not produce major disruptions except on the 900 block of New Hampshire.

City Approvals and Support Needed

Race organizers request City Commission approval of a temporary use of right-of-way permit for the streets on the attached route map on Sunday, April 22 from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Race organizers will obtain a special use permit from the Parks and Recreation department for the use of the Burroughs Creek Trail.

Race organizers have requested the donation of city services in support of the event. Based on past experience these services will likely cost the city about $6,000. The major items requested are the following:

Traffic control and traffic control devices as specified by the Lawrence Police Department. Race organizers have been meeting with city staff including a police sergeant to make adjustments to the route and traffic control plan.
Standby medical support for the race by as many units as are determined necessary by the Fire Medical Department.
Patching of pot holes along the race route.
Placement of a 20 yard dumpster near the start/finish area.

ACTION: Approve a temporary use of public right-of-way permit for various city streets from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 22, 2012, for the Kansas Half Marathon, including the closure of the 900 block of New Hampshire Street, and donation of city services in support of the event.