Ninth Street is currently blocked to all through traffic from Louisiana to Indiana Streets, and the City of Lawrence plans to extend the closure west toward Mississippi Street.
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Starting Monday, Feb. 16, all of eastbound and westbound Ninth Street traffic will be blocked between Louisiana and Mississippi Streets, although the latter road will still be open to northbound and southbound traffic.
The work is rolled into the Jayhawk Watershed Project, an initiative to improve drainage and reduce flooding through Old West Lawrence, Ninth Street and the surrounding area.
The city said in a news release that its contractors successfully installed new storm sewer tunnel infrastructure from Ninth and Indiana Streets to Eighth and Tennessee Streets.
“Crews will continue installing inlets and branch lines that connect to the new storm tunnel so that the old storm sewer can be abandoned,” per the release.
The city is asking motorists to follow marked detours and signage.
By mid-March, the city expects contractors to start working on the alley between Indian and Louisiana Streets on the north side of Ninth Streets.
During the March work, “pedestrians traveling west along 9th Street will need to use the sidewalk on the south side of 9th Street to travel west, and cross north at Mississippi St. to access businesses on the north side. This routing is expected to remain in place until April.”
Come April, the north sidewalk will be reopened to pedestrian traffic while the south sidewalk is closed for work on that side of the street.
The project team surveyed a limited group of Ninth Street business owners and employees over closure phasing. Ultimately, city commissioners approved a plan where portions of Ninth Street would remain closed solidly through summer 2026 without opening for the World Cup.
Businesses along this stretch of the street remain open, although some of them are concerned about customer access and impacts to profits even as they acknowledge the importance of the construction work.
In January, the city added temporary slanted parking spaces in the middle of Ninth Street to help customers access businesses. Parking is free in those spots.
People can stay updated on the project and closures on the city’s website.
City officials say the phased approach is designed to keep at least some access available while major underground infrastructure is replaced. Detour routes will shift as crews move west, and digital message boards will be updated weekly. Drivers who typically use Ninth Street as an east–west connector are encouraged to plan extra travel time and consider Sixth Street or 19th Street as alternatives.
Transit riders may also see temporary changes to bus stops near the corridor. The city has coordinated with Lawrence Transit to maintain service to nearby neighborhoods and the University of Kansas campus while construction is underway.
The Jayhawk Watershed Project represents one of the largest stormwater investments in Lawrence in decades. Old West Lawrence has experienced repeated flooding during heavy rains, with water backing up into streets, basements and local businesses. The new tunnel system is intended to increase capacity and redirect runoff more efficiently toward the Kansas River.
City engineers have said replacing the aging sewer lines now will prevent more disruptive emergency repairs in the future. Much of the existing infrastructure dates back more than half a century and was not designed for today’s rainfall patterns or level of urban development.
Business owners along Ninth Street have expressed mixed reactions. Some welcome the long-term benefits but worry about several months of limited visibility and parking. The temporary angled parking added in January was created after merchants asked for short-term solutions to help customers reach storefronts.
Local residents have also raised questions about pedestrian safety near the work zones. The city has pledged to maintain clearly marked crosswalks and ADA-accessible routes throughout each phase.
Commissioners opted not to pause construction for the 2026 World Cup events, concluding that delaying the project would add significant cost and extend disruption into future years. Officials said contractors will continue to evaluate whether certain activities can be accelerated during spring and early summer.
Community members can track weekly updates, maps and contact information through the city’s construction webpage. Residents with specific access concerns are encouraged to reach out to the project hotline listed on posted signage.
Originally reported by Lawrence Times.
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