News Releases
Friday, March 12, 2010 News from the City of Lawrence
(Sent: 2010-03-12 08:03:26)NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Friday, March 12, 2010 News from the City of Lawrence
1) St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on March 17
2) Census 2010: Why is your participation important to Douglas County?
3) City infrastructure improvement projects for the week of March 15
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Contact: Megan Gilliland, communications manager, (785) 832-3406
1) St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on March 17
(Lawrence, Ks.) – On Wednesday, March 17th, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade will make its way through downtown Lawrence, across the Highway 24-40 Bridge and enter into North Lawrence. The parade will begin at 1:00 p.m. at South Park. The parade will affect traffic in downtown Lawrence during part of the day; Massachusetts Street will be closed from 11th to 14th Street beginning at noon.
The parade route may affect traffic throughout downtown but north and southbound traffic will still be able to cross the bridge during the parade. Bus routes on the T will be affected during the parade; a complete listing of bus reroutes is available online at www.lawrencetransit.org.
The City of Lawrence reminds revelers to remember to be safe and responsible when enjoying the local festivities and merriment.
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Contact: Megan Gilliland, communications manager, (785) 832-3406
2) Census 2010: Why is your participation important to Douglas County?
(Lawrence, Ks.) - It is estimated that over a ten-year period, $5,300 is lost in federal funding, per person, if an individual does not participate in the Census. Every year, the federal government allocates more than $400 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data. In Douglas County, that equates to over $180 million in grants that support our local community.
What’s this money used for? Census data is used to determine locations for retail stores, schools, hospitals, childcare centers, senior service centers, new housing developments and other community facilities. Census data provides funding for highways, local transit, school lunch programs, grants for home rehabilitation and education programs that keep our schools drug free. Please do your part to make sure Lawrence is completely counted!
For 2008, a few examples of funding received for programs in Douglas County include:
- $26.6 million in medical help for low-income seniors, children, and people with disabilities
- $3.6 million for highway infrastructure
- $1.1 million for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food program for low-income families
- $5 million in funding for local families using food stamps
- $1.7 million for the National School Lunch program to provide healthy meals to Douglas County kids
- $626,133 in grant funding to rehabilitate homes in Douglas County or invest in energy saving solutions for local families
- $798,320 in funding for community development programs and support to local non-profit agencies
- $858,496 funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program
- $87,730 in funding to provide emergency shelter loans or grants for persons needing assistance with utilities and rent
- $1.9 million in funding for local small business loans
A questionnaire will be mailed to your residence by April 1st. It is only 10 questions and is completely confidential. It is important to our local communities that you count yourself in Lawrence so our local agencies and organizations can continue to provide services our community uses on a daily basis.
Please return your Census questionnaire before April 1, 2010. By answering the 10 questions, you can make a difference in your local community. Your support can raise awareness of and encourage participation in this historic event. With your help, the Census Bureau will continue to produce accurate data, which will directly affect the quality of life in our local community.
This is one clear example of how 10 minutes of your time can produce millions of benefits for your community. Visit www.2010census.gov or www.lawrenceks.org/census/2010 for more information.
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Contact: Megan Gilliland, communications manager, (785) 832-3406
3) City infrastructure improvement projects for the week of March 15
(Lawrence, Ks) - Infrastructure improvement projects for the week March 15.
Project: Iowa Street maintenance
Traffic Impact: Mill and overlay north and southbound lanes of Iowa Street from Yale to Irving Hill Overpass. Single lane closures in either the southbound or northbound lanes will occur during construction.
Project: Louisiana Street maintenance
Traffic Impact: Louisiana Street from 19th to 23rd will be closed to through traffic during the week of March 15 (local traffic will be allowed in area only). Portions of the northbound and southbound lanes from 19th to 23rd will be milled and overlaid during the week.
Project: Water line replacement
Traffic Impact: Clare Road, East 19th Street to Maple Lane, no parking and road will be closed to thru traffic from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Miller Drive, East 21st to Maple Lane, no parking and road will be closed to thru traffic from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Project: North Second Street and Locust intersection
Traffic Impact: North Second Street, southbound traffic at Locust reduced to one lane. North Second Street, northbound traffic detoured to Elm Street, to North Third Street and to Lyon Street. Locust, closed at North Second Street
BUS REROUTES
St. Patrick’s Day transit reroutes
On Wednesday, March 17, Massachusetts Street will be closed from 11th St. to 14th St. starting at 12 p.m. The parade will start at 1 p.m. and will travel down Massachusetts Street across the bridge to North Lawrence. During this time, buses will use layover points at the northeast corner of 9th and New Hampshire and the northwest corner of 9th and Vermont.
When downtown, Routes 3, 4, 6 and 11 will pick up and drop off passengers at 9th and Vermont. Routes 1, 2, and 7 will pick up and drop off passengers at 9th and New Hampshire.
The complete reroutes are as follows:
Route 1 – Inbound: Continue on 9th to New Hampshire for a layover on 9th at the northeast corner of the intersection. Outbound: Turn north on New Hampshire to 8th, east on 8th to Connecticut, south on Connecticut to 9th and back on regular route.
Route 2 – Inbound: Continue on 9th to New Hampshire for a layover on 9th Street at the northeast corner of the intersection. Outbound: Turn north on Hew Hampshire to 8th, east on 8th to Connecticut, south on Connecticut to 9th and back on regular route.
Route 3 – Inbound: Continue down Vermont and turn west on 9th for layover at the northwest corner of 9th and Vermont. Outbound: Continue to Kentucky, turn north to 8th and continue regular route.
Route 4 – Inbound: Continue down Vermont and turn west on 9th for layover at the northwest corner of 9th and Vermont. Outbound: Continue to Kentucky, turn north to 8th and continue regular route.
Route 6 Clockwise – Inbound: Continue on 6th to Vermont, south on Vermont to 9th and turn west on 9th for layover at the northwest corner of 9th and Vermont. Outbound: Continue on regular route.
Route 6 Counter Clockwise – Inbound: Continue on 9th to Kentucky, turn north on Kentucky, east on 8th, south on Vermont and west on 9th for layover at the northwest corner of 9th and Vermont. Outbound: Continue west to Kentucky, turn right on Kentucky and continue on regular route.
Route 7 – Inbound: Continue on Massachusetts to 15th, turn east on 15th to Connecticut, north on Connecticut to 9th, west on 9th to New Hampshire for layover on 9th at the northeast corner of the intersection. Outbound: Return to route by turning right on New Hampshire to 8th, east on 8th to Connecticut, south on Connecticut to 19th, west on 19th to Massachusetts, and back on route.
Route 11 – Inbound: Continue on 11th to Vermont, turn north on Vermont to 9th, and west on 9th for layover at the northwest corner of 9th and Vermont. Outbound: Continue on regular route.
Note: Route 11 will not travel east of Vermont during the parade. Passengers wishing to catch Route 11 will need to catch either routes 1 or 2 to get downtown, and then walk to the northwest corner of 9th & Vermont to catch Route 11.
Route 4 to reroute during North Second Street project
Route 4 is rerouted in North Lawrence during construction at N 2nd and Locust Streets. Passengers wishing to catch the northbound bus on Locust will need to do so between North Third and North Seventh. After departing I-70 Business Center, the southbound bus will continue south on North Second Street across the bridge and back on route. Passengers wishing to catch the bus in the neighborhoods will need to do so on the northbound trip.
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