UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, August 18, 1993
13A
Rain puts pause in road repairs
Weather delays July construction
By Traci Carl
Kansan staff write
This summer, Mother Nature once again ripped up Lawrence roads.
Rain and flooding not only caused street damage, the weather also delayed July road construction projects until August. Construction crews are now working around increased traffic as KU students return to Lawrence.
The hole at the intersection of North Second and Locust streets has drawn the most attention. A sewer and storm pipe caused the hole when it broke and washed away the soil under the street in front of Johnny's Tavern.
Northbound North Second Street traffic is now re-routed along Elm. Third and Locust streets. That means Doug Hassig, co-owner of Johnny's
Tavern, is losing business.
"It really hurt us," Hassig said. "I'm not very happy, but there's not much I can do about it."
Williams said other, smaller potholes are making extra work for crews.
"The amount of rain actually peeled up the asphalt from the pavement," Williams said. "We may not get all the work done this season."
Additional turn lanes also are being installed at the intersection of Iowa and 21st streets. Construction began Aug. 2 and will end about Nov. 1, said Terese Gorman, city engineer.
Routine repaving projects also were delayed by rain, Gorman said. Kentucky Street between 11th and 14th streets will be closed for repaving until possibly Saturday.
"We've tried very hard to get things around the University and downtown done before the students arrived," Gorman said.
Doug Riat, construction administrator for Design Construction Manage-
ment, said the Naismith storm sewer project originally was scheduled to begin in early July, but because of a rain delay, the project did not begin until two weeks ago.
The project connects existing storm sewers on campus to the Naismith storm sewer, Riat said.
"There was no problem," Riat said. "It was simply an improvement for the storm water system here on campus."
Construction on the project now blocks part of the northbound lane of Naismith drive in front of Allen Field House. Riat said the street should be open by Aug. 30.
David Corliss, assistant to the city manager, said he was working with the Athletic Department to publicize the importance of avoiding construction on Iowa and North Second streets. Corliss said his main concern was avoiding traffic jams during KU football games.
the department and the city were sending construction maps to out-oftown meet routes," Corliss said.
"We are trying to encourage people, if possible, to take other routes." Corliss said.
Give me a break
Construction areas to watch for on Lawrence streets
Iowa and 21st streets --- reduced lanes. Estimated completion date is Nov. 1.
- Naismith Drive — short detour into southbound lane. Estimated completion date is Aug. 30.
Kentucky Street between 11th and 14th streets — closed. Estimated completion date is Saturday.
North Second and Locust streets — detour through Elm, Third and Locust streets. No estimated completion date
KANSAN
town ticket holders, Corliss said.
City Commission OKs street music festival
Bv Tracl Carl
Kansan staff writer
After a long, dry debate on annexation and rezoning last night, City Commission quickly approved a party.
On Sept. 25, Eighth Street will be blocked off from Massachusetts to New Hampshire streets so that The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., and KLZR FM-100 can co-sponsor a street party.
Brett Mosiman, owner of The Bottleneck, said he received approval from all merchants on Eighth Street
for a music festival during daylight hours.
The festival will run from 1 to 8 p.m.
"There will be loud music," Mosi-
man told the commission. "I would
expand it into a full day, full
weekend."
The festival will feature a single stage and sponsor six to eight bands, Mosiman said. No alcohol will be allowed on the street.
"If people bring a six-pack to the festival, our security will take it away from them," he said.
The festival, which will cost between $3 and $5, is open to the public.
"Lawrence has a really great reputation for good local music," Mosiman said. "I would like the city to inherit this as a festival."
In other action, the commission authorized up to $298,000 for improvements on the North Lawrence storm drainage system.
The old system runs under North Second Street by Johnny's Tavern, 401 N. Second St. That system failed during the summer's heavy rainfall and created a hole the width of a car in front of the tavern.
On Aug. 10, the commission voted unanimously to install a new stormdrainage system.
George Williams, public works director, told the commission that installing a new system would allow the intersection to open sooner.
Last night, the commission also authorized the drafting of an annexation ordinance for 86.5 acres north of Peterson Road, south of Interstate 70 and west of North Iowa Street. The annexed land was rezoned from agricultural land to residential property for single and multi-family residences, with the condition that development would be limited until traffic problems were solved.
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