Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works Department

TO:	Charles Soules, Public Works Director
FROM:	Mark Thiel, Assistant Public Works Director
CC:	Tarik Khatib, Chief of Police Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief Bob Nugent, Transit Administrator Ernie Shaw, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation
DATE:	March 4, 2014
RE:	2014 Tour of Lawrence

The city has received a request for from the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) for city approvals and support for the 2014 Tour of Lawrence bicycle event.  Additional information about the various components of the request can be found below.

Event Description

The event has three components: a Street Sprint on Vermont Street downtown on Friday, June 27; a Campus Course (including some surrounding neighborhoods) on Saturday, June 28; and a Downtown Criterium on Sunday, June 29. The applicant has mailed notification of the City Commission consideration of this item to properties located along the campus race route. In addition, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Fire Medical, Lawrence Transit, DLI and the Chamber all have reviewed this permit with no issues.

Monetary and In-Kind City Support

The CVB has requested a $10,000 allocation from the Transient Guest Tax Reserve Fund in support of the event. The request submitted by the CVB contains a breakdown of how these funds would be used.

City in-kind support for this event in 2013 was valued at approximately $16,000. Costs are expected to be similar for the 2014 event. Police Department staffing resources needed for the event are detailed later in this memo.

Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit

The CVB has requested a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for the use of various city streets for the Street Sprint, the Downtown Criterium and the Campus Course.

Street Sprint – Friday, June 27, 2014.   The street sprint event would consist of a series of short sprints on Vermont Street, from just south of 7^th Street to just south of 8^th Street. Racers would cross the finish line at 8^th Street then return to the starting line area by working their way back along Vermont Street.

The 700 block and part of the 800 block of Vermont Street would be entirely closed from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m on Friday, June 27. The 100 block of West 8^th Street (between Massachusetts and Vermont Streets) would be closed from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and the western half of the 200 block of West 8^th Street (from Vermont west to the alley) would be closed from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Traffic management and street closure details for the Street Sprint follow:

§ At noon, 8^th Street from Massachusetts Street to New Hampshire Street will be closed in order to begin setup of the finish line truss, kids’ zone and live music area;

§ At 2:00 p.m., 8^th Street from Vermont Street to the alley between Vermont Street and Massachusetts Street, will be closed to position the finish line trailer and build out the finish line area;

§ At 5:00 p.m. Vermont Street south of 7^th Street to the mid 900 block of Vermont Street will be closed;

§ The southern entrance/exit of Parking lot 3 will remain open;

§ Parking lot 4 will be closed from 5:30 pm until 8:30 p.m. in order to begin setup of the race area; towing will be enforced in this area;

§ Parking Lot 14, located on the east side of the 700 block of Vermont Street, will be closed at 5:30 p.m..  Vehicles will be able to leave the parking lot until 6:00 p.m. by crossing New Hampshire Street into the parking lot directly across the street.  Signage will explain this closure.  Remaining vehicles will not be towed out of this lot, but they will not be allowed to leave after 9:00 p.m.; and

§ 7^th Street and 9^th Street, which bookend the race course, will remain open.

Campus Course – Saturday, June 28, 2014.  The city streets associated with the Campus Course would be closed on Saturday, June 28, from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.. Parking would be prohibited on the course but course marshals would control vehicular traffic to allow safe access to properties along the course throughout the day. Access for emergency vehicles will not be impeded.

The CVB requests that all streets along the route be marked “no parking” with signs provided by the Police Department.  The signs would be placed by CVB staff.

Downtown Criterium – Sunday, June 29, 2014. For the Downtown Criterium, the downtown streets would be completely closed to vehicular traffic and parking on Sunday, June 29, from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.. The CVB would place “no parking” signs on meters and affected parking lots inside the course area on Saturday, June 28, with an effective date of 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 29. Signs will be used rather than bags on meters to avoid prematurely giving the impression that parking is prohibited.  Parking lot 14 on the east side of the 800 block of Vermont and lot 17 south of City Hall will be closed to cars entering or exiting during event hours. Access to the Vermont Street Garage will be available from Kentucky Street.

Temporary Sale, Possession and Consumption of Alcohol

The CVB has requested a permit for the temporary sale, possession and consumption of alcohol in certain spectator areas downtown during both the Street Sprint and the Downtown Criterium. The areas can generally be described as follows:

• Street Sprint: Portions of the 700 and 800 blocks of Vermont Street and 8^th Street from Massachusetts Street to New Hampshire Street.
• Downtown Criterium: The 600, 700, and 800 blocks of Massachusetts Street as well as 8^th Street and 9^th Street from Vermont Street to New Hampshire Street.

Because the proposed area is within 400 feet of several churches, city code requires that the churches be given at least 30 days notice that a public hearing will be held regarding the request. Staff will notify the churches and a public hearing will be held at a future date.

Police Services

The CVB has requested traffic control services from the Police Department during both the downtown and campus portions of the event. As this is the fifth year of this event, the Police Department and race organizers have already worked out many of the details and are continually improving traffic control plans. KU Police will be responsible for traffic control for the on-campus portions of the course.

The estimated Police Department staffing resources needed to manage the event are as follows:

• Day 1 – Street Sprints: One (1) sergeant is available as a liaison for any issues that arise.
• Day 2 – Campus Course: Seven (7) officers needed for approximately eight (8) hours (total costs in 2013 were $3,228).
• Day 3: - Downtown Criterium: three (3) officers needed for approximately eight (8) hours (total costs in 2012 were $1,468).

Fire Medical Services

The CVB will be providing some medical assistance for the event participants and has also requested the presence of standby emergency medical units at the events at levels determined appropriate by the Fire Medical Department.

Trash Services

The CVB has requested placement of an additional 14 trash barrels downtown during the Street Sprint and Downtown Criterium. CVB staff or volunteers will be responsible for emptying these trash barrels as needed.

Miscellaneous City Services

The CVB has requested a number of other items of support from the city. These items can be accommodated by the Public Works Department.

• Use of 27 saw horse barricades to be placed in alleys and surface lots.
• Street sweeping prior to and following the event.
• Patching and minor maintenance of certain portions of race routes if there are safety concerns.
• Placement of bleachers at the finish line for Friday’s Street Sprints.

ACTIONS:    Approve allocation of $10,000 from the Guest Tax Reserve Fund to the CVB in support of the Tour of Lawrence.

Approve temporary use of right-of-way permit for the use of various city streets on June 27-29, 2014 for the Tour of Lawrence.  

Approve the donation of various city services in support of the Tour of Lawrence.

Adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8970, allowing the possession and consumption of alcohol on the 700 and 800 blocks of Vermont Street and west 100 block of 8^th Street from Massachusetts Street to Vermont Street, including the intersection of 8^th Street and Vermont Street and the plaza area between the Vermont Street parking garage and the Public Library on Friday, June 27, 2014 from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. and the 600, 700 and 800 blocks of Massachusetts Street and Vermont Street and on the east and west 100 block of 7^th Street and west 100 block of 8^th Street from Vermont Street to Massachusetts Street, on Sunday, June 29, 2014, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. as part of the event.