Highway 59/Iowa Street south of Lawrence

Lawrence, KansasSep 06, 20101 Comments

This particular two miles of highway is the most heavily patrolled speed trap I have ever seen with more possible police positions (7) that are regularly used than any other speed trap listed for Lawrence, KS. I am surprised it was not listed before this entry.

The divided 4 lane Highway 59 exits Lawrence to the South with the speed changing from 45 mph to 55 mph. There are several lights leading up to this southern exit from Lawrence, including a light where the K-10 (western) bypass intersects Hwy 59. This tends to make drivers anxious to get going and the 4 lane divided highway that is straight for about 2 miles is the perfect place for Lawrence and Douglas County to generate revenue. For you purists I am aware that this is technically outside of Lawrence but the residents along this stretch have Lawrence, addresses and Lawrence schools.

While this Hwy could easily be 65 mph or more it is signed at 55 mph and most of the monitoring is designed around south-bound traffic.

Police positions are occupied almost daily by one or more vehicles and there are regular multi-patrol car radar traps as described below. Within one mile of passing under the overpass going south out of Lawrence there is a concrete bridge over the Wakarusa River. Patrol cars sit between the 4 lanes on the road level turn arounds either north or south of the bridge, monitoring either north or south-bound traffic. Often they take this position at night with their lights out. Just south of the bridge is the junction with the southbound lanes of County road 458. There is a large triangle-shaped area on the western edge of the lane that one or frequently 2 patrol cars sit – driver windows adjacent when two cars are present. This is occupied either day or night. The fourth position is another road level turn around between the lanes just south of CR 458 entry onto Hwy 59. The fifth position is on N1135 Road which is an access road leading to a housing area on the West side of Hwy 59 just south of the 55 mph sign. The patrol car will be placed back up the street to the west and the officer stands at a mailbox along Hwy 59 and monitors traffic speed coming south. At times this position is used in combination with the sixth position of one or two patrol cars hidden to the west of Hwy 59 along 1100 road about one half mile to the south of the mailbox, who are contacted via radio about cars to be stopped. The seventh position was in use the day of this entry. It is a single patrol car off the road facing north but on the direct line of site of the south bound lanes. This position is possible because the 4 lane merges to two lanes and the south-bound lane moves to the east.

Comments:
The only thing I can add is to note the deceptive nature of the "construction zone" on northbound US-59. Currently, the old 2-lane highway is marked as a construction zone for 8-10 miles sought of town (to US-56). Even though the construction is on the new divided 4-lane 1/4 mile east of the old road. Zone is posted 55 mph. "Construction zone" extends a mile north of the actual construction. onto the 4-lane divided highway, until you see a "END CONSTRUCTION" sign. As this is still 1-2 miles south of K-10 highway, and is it a semi-rural 4 lane divided highway, one could reasonably infer the speed limit is 65. NO SO! The speed limit stays the same, even though the construction zone has ended. And of course, they don't post the first speed limit sign until 1/2 mile or more beyond the "END CONSTRUCTION" sign.
#1Mar 13, 2011Report Abuse

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