Lawrence, KS

Level: silver
Population: 97,348
Population Density: 2,964/sq. mi.
Pedestrian Plan
Program Website
Contact: Jake Baldwin
jbaldwin@lawrenceks.org

Community Highlights

Lawrence is a Silver-level Walk Friendly Community due to its exemplary approach to Safe Routes to School, engineering practices, and policies that support pedestrian-friendly projects.

  • The City’s 2022 Pedestrian Plan establishes a comprehensive framework for improvements to the pedestrian network across the community.
  • The City established a Multi-Modal Transportation Commission to advance health, safety and welfare of residents by making recommendations to the City Commission.
  • Safe Routes to School programs in Lawrence are a collaborative effort supported by the city, county, school district, and health department (plus advocacy partners!). Activities are driven by their SRTS Plan. Every school has a SRTS map and progress is being made on filling SRTS sidewalk gaps..
  • Lawrence focuses attention on filling sidewalk gaps along SRTS routes, and across the entire City, through its Non-motorized Projects Prioritization Policy. A data-driven process is used to identify priorities and determine schedules for sidewalk repair and replacement with its Sidewalk Improvement Program
  • The city’s Complete Streets policy and connectivity ordinance (Section 20-810) support the city in building and maintaining a transportation network that encourages walking. The Complete Streets policy uses a range of different performance measures and indicators to measure progress towards the policy’s goals.
  • The City established a Neighborhood Traffic Management Program to comprehensively address speeding traffic calming needs on neighborhood streets. It has helped initiate pilot deployments such as the Old West Lawrence Traffic Calming project and citywide 25 mph speed limit signage on neighborhood streets.
  • The Safe Winter Walkways program brings together volunteers and those in need to make sure everyone can safely use public sidewalks during snowy conditions.
  • The City’s School Area Traffic Control Policy is an excellent model for establishing safety protocols for school zones that prioritizes those walking and bicycling to school.