racy in this State and city. We are writing this letter as a plea for help from our federal (State) government, and any others cap- able of providing assistance. We are a group of res- idents of Lawrence, Kansas in opposition to the pro- posed construction of a roadway called the 'Haskell Loop, "' which is planned for East Lawrence (see en- closed maps), through the use of federal "urban hy- ay funds, '' Housing and Community Development ct funds, and Kansas Department of Transportation nds. re e are requesting federal assistance now, feeling at our means to stop construction on a local level e nearly exhausted. We feel that guidelines de- igned to inject the element of human concern into ese spending programs are being ignored. Instead using Community Development funds to rejuvinate low-moderate income neighborhood, these funds re being used to threaten the viability of the East awrence neighborhood, and in the process, to up- oot ethnic minorities. oe & = 2 2p oO Fh ae paneenevecevceconcecnoorseeccsonenenedetiescccsconceanesunnecenseeesceeucanUaDSGOSODOGSEUOSOOESOEESUSODUSOOEOUDEOOE SUUCOSODODONONSSOOSSODeSEOSCESSODDOE DOCS DOGSOOED Business and industry are the principal backers of 2 the $2.5 million project. The road will pass near a medium ~heavy industrial use area boardering the # neighborhood. The roadway is also intended to = boost prospects in the near-by central business dis- f trict, by speeding traffic from the far east side ¢ downtown. = Half of the $1,690,000 CDA money slated for Law- rence over the next three years will be used for ac- quisition of property along the Loop right-of-way. January 29, 1976 Citizens Opposed to the Haskell Loop 1112 New Jersey Street Lawrence, Kansas 66044 Dear Friends: Thank you again for your interest. Thank you for furnishing me with copies of your letter and attachments to Secretary Hills. I appreciate your efforts to apprise me of local matters which may involve federal agencies and the expenditure of federal funds. Most sincerely, Larry Winn, Jr. Member of Congress Green Gables HASKELL LOOP We're not beating a dead horse on this one. Twenty-seven houses will be removed for construction while twenty-six others will be isolated in an indus- trial zone. The only neighborhood park, recreation facilities and neighborhood center will either be re- moved or isolated in the same industrial zone. Other homes in the area will be removed m the future, along the 900 block of New Jersey Street, for a ‘re- placement’ park for the area. Eventually the neigh- borhood school, New York Elementary School, will be forced to close as attendance drops due to losses in area housing stock. The school closing will in turn make the neighborhood even less attractive to the young families so necessary to the preservation of any neighborhood, Opposition comes primarily from neighborhood res- idents, although few are vocal. In July, 1975, how- ever, 240 persons, all within three blocks of the right-of-way signed petitions opposing construction of the roadway. (The entire population of the survey area is under 1000). Proponents claim the Loop will provide a buffer sep- arating industry to the north and east from residenc- es to the south and west. They claim traffic will be removed from neighborhood streets. Opponents feel that construction of a high-volume traffic, at- tractor type roadway, carrying trucks and trailers, is the worst kind of ‘buffer, ‘ that neighborhood traf- ic is not a problem, and will not be unless the road is built, and that these factors will combine to ul- timately destroy the neighborhood, Government ‘Help’ Congressman Winn has failed completely in his role as a representative of the people. The letter above , sent to his Wash= ington office in Decem-= ber did not prompt a re- ply for almost two mon- ths, It is also fairly ob- vious that the citizens group letter was not even read. So long as certain basic guidelines necessary to qualify for federal funds are met, primary authority for selecting the actual projects on which funds will be expended is in the hands of state and local government offic-= ials. However, I de appreciate your kindness in furnishing me with infor- mation on these matters as well as your views on them. The PUBLIC NOTICE is worried. The people are not being heard. Most are afraid to speak out, or too apathetic to do so. Others are aware of the futility. Is it any wonder ? The Loop will have a total impact upon the neighborhood, a with by the City. Below is a reprint of a letter recently received by the PUBLIC NOTICE from opposition to the road- way in East Lawrence. Frustrated with efforts to stop construction, and bewildered by the apparent unwillingness of City Commissioners to consider the problems raised, the Citizens Opposed to the Haskell Loop sent away packets of materials, with the letter below as a cover letter, to all our representatives in Washington, as well as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, major fund source for the Haskell Loop project. federal level must certainly leave these people at a loss, completely abandoned in their appeals for justice for the East side of town. Thus the letter below is reprinted, along with a reply from Rep. Larry Winn, Republican from this, the Fifth congressional district of Kansas, as a reminder to those who still might have some hope for represetative democ- Their lack of response, even at the —PUBLIC NOTICE | NT subject not dealt Destruction cannot be measured entirely in dollars and cents. Along with the physical destruction, the displacement of those in the path of the road will serve to destroy the sense of community in a corner of East Lawrence. In the 800 and 900 blocks of Pennsylvania, and the 700, 800 and 900 blocks of New Jersey, many Mexican-American families live ina traditional community setting. The road will cut through this area, scattering many and dividing the remaining residents on either side of the Loop, buiit on a 100 foot-wide right-of-way, screened by chain- link fences. We feel that a clear injustice is occurring. Federal and State funds designed to rebuild and rehabilitate are being used to destroy. We have appealed to City officials, and have received no redress of our griev- ances, Environmental Impact Statements are due soon, yet they are being managed by the same out-of-town con- sulting firm that designed the road, presenting some conflict of interest. It is therefore imparative that an investigation begin as soon as possible. Enclosed are articals from three local newspapers that could be helpful in piecing together the situation. Copies of the 240 petition signatures opposing con- struction of the road are available upon request. Sincerely, Citizens Opposed to the Haskell Loop | \6th eb i Se ee 3 Se eel iat axe al ce As = i | | eee ! ge ee ae ees ae ee $ Yeon Ee a et et 8 Sit : N am 7 ; z aN 21 St Slee homt sey as 1 2 eV WOO, te ies cS 2 Soin eStats et ie | “ < at oa sl ee sige jock gave ap aL : ; pt) eee er isaiee 1s hy | 1 jer | | | “fa fio eer | 1% oS 3 eee oes See ee ¥ ae | je a zy g } | } | 3m) st] dl ue eee ee ae | | ; EB | | |conneso oe denabes Easels, ROR ae es Be Al ese | eae see Tse eid ged | La ST api Se 2 = . (eal eS ] feds L The mayor responds to neighborhood opposition to the Haskell Loop. BARKLEY WALKS BACK - IT MAY NOT SEEM WISE TO PUT IN A ROAD THAT GOES NOWHERE... a fe : 3 3 FH 3 H Hy fe is : z : H : H 3 : : 3 : z : : : is : is H f H 3 i i H i fe 3 3 : : : z : 3 s 5 : : H : : 3 i: i: H 3 is is FH is is i H H H BUT IT'LL CREATE JOBS!! .o AND AFTER WE WIPE OUT 27 HOMES AND BLIGHT A WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD... eee neneae sores nsseoeseeesssecen else 100 pose pseu se eoonecoone ne ooeessoEE Se ceecoscoosees: THINK OF ALL THE FREE GOVERNMENT MONEY WE CAN GET TO "RENEW" THE AREA, PAGE 10 POM error iii iio ee L