University Daily Kansan / Wednesday. August 22, 1990
11
Lawrence copes with gas prices
By Tracey Chalpin Kansan staff writer
Middle East tensions early this month reached the Lawrence community the day after they began, and now businesses face gasoline prices that are making them more than a little tense.
Roy Polk, president of Polk Oil Co. 846 Pennsylvania St., said he was trying to keep his increasing costs away from his customers.
"We won't see any of that oil for 60 to 90 days," he said. "When the major oil companies froze their prices, I had a three-cent drop, but right after that I had an eight-cent increase. It's a contrived situation."
Polk said that in the 36 years he had supplied gasoline to industrial commercial areas, the rapid price changes were the worst he had seen.
Bob Bride, president of MMM Oil Inc. Co., 644, Locust St., said that because he received gasoline in daily purchases, was restricted from buying surplus.
McBride said yesterday that since the Aug. 2 invasion, his costs for unleaded fuel had increased 34.9 percent and fuel costed fuel costs had increased 46.6 percent.
McBride said he might face another cost increase soon because of a rise in unleaded fuel futures yester-
dav.
Susie Frisbie, director of operations at E-Z Shop Stores in the Kansas City area, Lawrence and Topeka, said that because of gasoline price increases, E-Z Shops could not prices lower than their competition.
Frisbie said that price increases recently had been occurring every 12 hours and that prices for a gallon at stores in all areas varied by only a few cents.
Frisbie said that if costs continued to increase, prices to consumers also would, no matter what the competition charged.
"I don't understand how some companies can keep their prices low and still survive," she said.
Richard Haiq, manager of Quality 66 Service, 1540 W. Sixth St., and Westside Phillips 66, 2815 W. Sixth St., said that since Aug. 2, the gasoline price at the stations had increased 22 cents.
"I really hasn't affected business at all," Haig said. "The average price to fill up for most people doesn't go up that much."
Roger Flory, independent owner of Commerce Plaza Gas & Mini-Mart, 3034 Iowa St., said his unleaded gasoline prices had increased 21 cents a gallon since the beginning of August.
Flory he noticed a 3 to 5 percent drop in business after the initial increase.
"You could tell people were buying a little gas at a time to see if prices would go down," he said.
Crisi Ogle, 837 of Lawrence Bus
Company, 183 Pennsylvania St., said
his diesel gas costs had increased 46
cents, from 97 cents to 143 a gallon.
Ogle said he did not think there would be an increase in bus fares or bus pass prices of KU on Wheels, which is operated by Student Senate in cooperation with Lawrence Bus Company.
MaryEllen Henderson, coordinator of KU on Wheels, could not be reached for comment.
Some students returning to Lawrence were not as bothered by the rising prices in Lawrence and still cheaper here than where they live.
Mona Ewing, Omaha, Neb., senior,
said that she did not know the exact
difference between the Lawrence
and Omaha prices but that there was
a $4 to $5 difference for a tank of
gasoline.
Lorie Yager, Topeka junior, said she did not think rising gas prices would keep her from driving.
"I don't like walking that much," she said. "I probably won't stop driving unless they go to $1.30."
Adopt-a-highway gains popularity
3y Jennifer Schultz
Kansan staff writer
Nowadays less trash litters Kansas highways, but adopt a-highway signs can be seen in abundance.
"we adopt a highway program, clean-up effort sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation, has become popular with companies and businesses since the program began in Kansas last December. Among those groups now participating in the program are the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, Stephenson Scholarship and the Massive Temple of Lawrence.
The program saves the state money by allowing private citizens, instead of maintenance crews, to clean the highways.
Groups of volunteers are assigned to clean up one mile stretches within city limits and two-mile stretches in rural areas. The Volunteers commit to picking up litter at least three times a year for two years. In exchange, the name of the organization must be posted on signs that mark the matteled area.
program, said the hall planned to have its first clean-up this week on a two-mile stretch along Highway 10.
Kris Koeller, assistant director of Stephenson Hall's adopt a-highway
"We're supposed to pick up trash along the highway, mostly small stuff." We said. "We're not supposed to pick up dead animals or anything."
Koeller said the state provided plastic bags, safety vests and safety instructions.
"The instructions include mostly common sense stuff, like don't run out in the middle of the road, don't hit a dog or bark at it, pick up a glass or earrings," he said.
The Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity applied for the program last March and had its first clean-up in May.
Todd Navrat, Lambda Chi Alpha president, said the fraternity signed a contract to clean up a two mile run along Highway 10 four times a year.
"We are supposed to police the highway and pick up trash on the median." Navrat said.
Navrat said the fraternity members became involved with the program because they wanted to give something back to the community.
Navrat said his fraternity hoped to have the next clean-up this week, after Jim Carter, adopt a highway project. He will be arranging an arranged a training seminar for
safety instructions.
"Lots of guys come up on K-10 from the city," he said.
"The department of transportation advised us not to pick up any trash until all signs are put." Melvin Woodward, coordinator for the Lawrence Blue Lodge No. 6 and the Scottish Rite said.
The Masonic Temple, 1001 Massachusetts St., applied and was approved for the adopt-a-highway program, but cannot begin clean up until all the signs stating they are the buildings are placed along the highways.
At least 600 miles of highway have been adopted in Kansas. K 10 is part of an adopted 50 miles in the Kansas City area, in addition to stretches on 35, Highway 7, Highway 150. U.S. Highway 56 and U.S. Highway 169.
The adopt a highway program began in Tyler, Texas, in 1985. Currently 24 states have implemented the plan. Are planning to do so in the future.
Road construction causes problems for KU students
Improvements delayed because of recent rain
By Elicia Hill
Kansan staff writer
Her roommate, Liza Boryczmowski,
Kansas City, Kan.Senior, said she
was concerned she would have to
park her car up the street and walk
Road construction work in Lawrence has been creating problems for residents. Although the work will alleviate traffic congestion in the future, that is not contorting to the city's needs, and residents who live near the construction.
"We have a cliff for a driveway," said Angela Snyder, Kansas City, Kan. senior, who lives across the street from Lawrence High School, 190 Louisiana St. "Our front yard is waking up every day us every day us every day 7:24."
"We have to hike into our own home every day, and I'm really getting tired of this," she said.
City Manager Mike Wilden said the city was building turn lanes, putting in traffic signals and filling potholes and cracks in pavement.
He said the city never said the construction would be finished before KU students came back to school.
“Students begin coming back in early August, and they don't leave until late June so it's impossible to work and work around that,” he said.
George Williams, director of public works, said there had been some delavos on the projects due to rain.
He said construction also was delayed because the Department of Transportation had not provided money for the projects until July 1.
"We had to get down on our hands and knees and beg them for the money," he said. "Once we had the funds we were able to begin, but the contractor did not pursue the job in an expedient manner as well. He had a delay with the rain which had a snowfall effect on all of his jobs."
The C.L. Fairley Co., in Kansas City, Kan., was the original contractor, but the work was contracted to the W.A. Dunbar Co., in Lawrence, said Don Craig, Dunbar vice-president.
"I'm sure that we are behind the schedule that Fairley had laid down, but as far as the city roadwork we are slightly ahead of schedule." Craig said. "We told them that it would take 120 calendar days, and it looks like we'll be finished in the 19th Street area in four more weeks.
Source: Kansan reporter
Brett Brenner/KANSAN
"We hope to be finished within the next couple of weeks between Iowa and Nassau, and if the weather is mild on up Sixth Street as well," he said.
Workers were delayed after they discovered that the concrete beneath the old asphalt on Sixth Street was crumbling, Craig said. To correct the problem, workers will lay a fabric mat under the new asphalt, which will prevent moisture from further cracking the pavement.
The city tries to work around the KU schedule, Williams said. Future work on Clinton Parkway will be planned around football schedules
to be patient.
Construction workers on the 19th Street project have asked the public
"What the public doesn't understand is that there's a lot of work involved when a street is widened," said Jerome Walters, site superintendent. "For example, we have to lower all the gas lines, reallocate hydrants, move traffic lights, move the curbs, and that all happens before we go in and dig out the section."
Walters said the 10th Street area would be completed in four weeks. Sections of Kentucky and Louisiana streets along 19th Street will be for several days to allow road crews to lay asphalt and replace curbs.
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