Right-of-Way Management

Part of the land in the City of Lawrence is dedicated as “public right-of-way” for streets, sidewalks, alleys, utilities, and other public uses. The right-of-way typically extends 10 feet back from the edge of a street but can vary widely across the city.

Utility easements are areas where a utility (i.e., gas, electric) has permission to enter a property to mark or maintain utility lines. A utility easement may or may not be in the right-of-way. Contact Planning and Development Services at 785-832-7700, or a certified land surveyor for more information.

Generally, no. According to Lawrence City Code Chapter 16, Article 801:

"The City of Lawrence has the right to make immediate use of the entire public right-of-way for street, sidewalk, utility and drainage purposes and for the installation, inspection, maintenance and removal of the same. The City of Lawrence will generally not compensate an adjoining landowner for damage to plants, underground sprinklers and other private improvements located upon the public right-of-way, resulting from the installation, inspection, maintenance or removal of streets, sidewalks, utilities or drainage ways."

When possible, the City will work with adjoining property owners to help alleviate any issues that may arise prior to starting work. This may not always be possible, depending on the type of work - specifically in emergency situations.

Installation of mailboxes, fences, retaining walls, or other permanent items in the right-of-way must be approved by city staff. The City may require the removal of unauthorized objects in the right-of-way. To inquire about placing an item in the public right-of-way, contact the Municipal Services & Operations Department at 785-832-7800.

A permit is required for all construction within the public right-of-way. Additionally, permits are required to locate equipment or materials in the right-of-way. Generally, permits are required for the following types of work if it is located in the right-of-way:

• Construction or utility work.
• Any obstruction of the right-of-way.
• Planting, pruning or the removal of trees.

Applications for permits must be submitted prior to the start of work, allowing for time to review and process the permit application. Applications for right-of-way permits should be submitted according to the following deadlines. For detailed information, refer to our Administrative Regulations(PDF, 2MB).

• Three business days prior to the beginning of the proposed use of the right-of-way when no Temporary Traffic Control plan is required.
• Five business days prior to the beginning of the proposed use of the right-of-way when a standard Temporary Traffic Control plan is required.
• 10 business days prior to the beginning of the proposed use of the right-of-way when a Traffic Control Plan needing special approval is required.
• 20 business days prior to the beginning of the proposed use of the right-of-way when the use calls for a full road closure of an arterial or collector street.

In addition to submitting the completed permit application, any plans showing work within the right-of-way should be included. When submitting a Temporary Traffic Control permit, a legible traffic control plan should be attached, which includes the following:

• A description of the closure
• Street names for all streets in the vicinity
• Showing all driveways, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, parking, etc.
• Location of any signs, cones, barricades, or other traffic control devices
• Taper lengths, sign spacing, cone spacing, etc.
• Detour routes, including pedestrian detour routes, if appropriate

Once a complete application with all necessary attachments and fees is received, the permit will be reviewed by city staff. If there are any questions or concerns regarding your permit, staff will contact you to clarify any issues. Otherwise, after the review has been completed you will receive an email notification that your permit has been approved.

Flags and paint markings are utilized to identify the location of underground utilities. State law requires that utilities are located through the Kansas One Call system prior to excavation activities to help avoid damage and accidents caused by striking the buried lines. Kansas One Call coordinates with utility owners to locate and mark underground utilities. These activities could include repair of sewer and water services, damaged cable, phone lines, or even installation of new utility lines. These markings will also appear if a property owner in the area is making an improvement to their property such as the installation of landscaping walls or a pool.

To request the marking of utility lines, please call Kansas One Call at 811 or visit Kansas811 website.

In some cases you will need to close down the sidewalk if you are doing work in the street, but it will depend on the work being done. Closing of the sidewalk is done for safety reasons for pedestrians. If any portion of the sidewalk is obstructed or unsafe for pedestrians to pass, the sidewalk should be closed and a detour should be identified.

Sidewalk closures are required for work such as cranes and boom trucks, concrete pumpers and excavations that stretch overhead across the sidewalk.

Just like each project is different, each closure is different. In addition to the $50.00 application fee, we have provided a calculator on our Right-of-way page that can be used to estimate any additional fees for a right-of-way permit. These fees will be verified by city staff after examining plans provided during application.

Questions regarding the right-of-way permitting process can be directed to Municipal Services & Operations at 785-832-7800 or emailed to ROWPermits@lawrenceks.gov.

If street parking is typically allowed, a moving truck or van may be parked in the street as long as it conforms to the guidelines in City Code Section 17-146(PDF, 847KB).

If street parking is not allowed or there are parking meters present, a right-of-way permit may be required. Contact right-of-way permitting at 785-832-7800 or ROWPermits@lawrenceks.gov to discuss the available options.

Roll-off dumpsters are only allowed to be placed on the street if there is no place to safely place them on the private property, as determined by Municipal Services & Operations. If it is determined that the dumpster must be placed in the street, a right-of-way permit is required.

A Traffic Control Plan (TCP) is required for every closure in the public right-of-way. A TCP should be submitted as a part of a Temporary Traffic Control Permit. To be considered complete, a TCP should include:

• A description of the closure
• Street names for all streets in the vicinity
• Showing all driveways, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, parking, etc.
• Location of any signs, cones, barricades, or other traffic control devices
• Taper lengths, sign spacing, cone spacing, etc.
• Detour routes, including pedestrian detour routes, if appropriate