By Chris Tilden, FLAT Advocacy Coordinator

Engineering work, coordinated by Bartlett and West, continues on the section of the Lawrence Loop that will extend the Loop northward from the current terminus of the Burroughs Creek Trail at 11^th Street in East Lawrence. A date for construction has not been set. City officials indicate discussions with the BNSF railroad will largely dictate when work will begin, which could mean either a 2020 or 2021 construction date.

The City of Lawrence expects a February announcement by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) regarding 2020 funding of Transportation Alternative grants. In the fall, the city submitted multiple grant applications to KDOT, including a request for funding to build a section of the Loop that would span from Michigan Street to Peterson Road (across McDonald Drive north of 6^th Street).

FLAT is currently engaged in discussions with the city to develop a formal arrangement that would allow for the transfer of private funds to the city for Loop construction. The 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Plan calls for $400,000 in city expenditures (from the general fund) to be matched by $400,000 from other funding sources. The city has called on FLAT to play an active role in efforts to secure these additional funds.