Jayhawk Watershed Project Reshapes Old Lawrence

One-year milestone reached on $25M infrastructure overhaul, with more work ahead

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Jayhawk Watershed Project is now halfway complete, with crews working to replace aging sanitary sewers, water mains, and stormwater infrastructure in Lawrence's Old West neighborhood. The $25 million project is causing temporary disruptions for homeowners and businesses, but city officials say the long-term benefits will be significant, including wider bike lanes, parking spaces, and ADA-accessible sidewalks.

Why it matters

The Jayhawk Watershed Project aims to address longstanding flooding issues in the area, which have plagued the neighborhood for over a century. By upgrading the underground utilities and improving surface infrastructure, the city hopes to unlock new development opportunities, including a planned convention center and hotel along the Ninth Street corridor.

The details

Crews have completed work at Eighth and Tennessee and are now focused on Eighth and Louisiana, as well as Ninth Street from Indiana to Louisiana. The construction has temporarily limited access for homeowners and businesses, but the city has tried to minimize the impact through ongoing communication. The $25 million project goes beyond just replacing utilities, also bringing wider bike lanes, parking spaces, and ADA-accessible sidewalks, including the installation of a new pedestrian beacon.

  • Crews completed work at Eighth and Tennessee.
  • Crews are currently working at Eighth and Louisiana, and Ninth Street from Indiana to Louisiana.

The players

Nick Hoyt

City project manager overseeing the Jayhawk Watershed Project.

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What they’re saying

“There is this pain that we're going through now, but, in ten years, we're going to have this convention center, a hotel, we're going to have a new corridor down Ninth Street, and I'm really excited about it.”

— Nick Hoyt, City project manager (KMBC 9 News)

What’s next

City engineers have a goal of getting Ninth Street back open for traffic before football season this summer.

The takeaway

The Jayhawk Watershed Project is a long-term investment in Lawrence's infrastructure that will address chronic flooding issues and pave the way for new development, despite the temporary disruptions faced by homeowners and businesses during construction.