In early January 2025, the City of Lawrence announced plans to improve infrastructure on a mile-long stretch of Iowa Street, from 23rd street to Irving Hill Road. The plans included rebuilding the road, adding a shared use sidewalk, utility replacements and updated lighting. Construction began in February 2025, with renovations expected to be complete by the end of 2025. Though current plans put the completion date in early 2026.
While the construction has been active for many months now, residents still struggle to navigate that area of Lawrence, which has led to changes in routines for many people. Senior Megan Green said that the construction has even kept her from seeing her sister, a student at the University of Kansas.
“I don’t visit her quite as much, just because it has become such a hassle to get over and I don’t really want to drive on Iowa Street at night, especially with all that traffic,” Green said. “So I’ve been visiting her a lot less than I normally do, because I don’t feel super safe in a tight, narrow street like that.”
The construction has especially affected Lawrence High School students such as LHS sophomore Ivy Bitters, as it leads to increased traffic on already narrow streets. Bitters said that, though it takes her 10 minutes to go to school, it can take up to 20 minutes to drive home.
In addition to the road work, Iowa Street will welcome a new Dillons on the corner of Iowa and Clinton Parkway to replace the location on 23rd Street. Though it’s only a few blocks away, this has also led to the changing of routines among residents, and workers from the previous Dillons were transferred to the new location. 6th Street and Lawrence Avenue Dillons employee senior Laura Turner said that shoppers would have to find a new grocery chain to frequent as a result of the change.
“The people near the Dillons that is closing are definitely going to have to find a new place,” Turner said. “There’s not that many grocery stores in that area, and that might affect them, even though the new location is only a couple blocks down.”
Though the construction temporarily inconveniences Lawrencians, Bitters said she has heard students express their excitement for the completed projects, including the in-progress Olive Garden on 21st and Iowa.
“The Olive Garden is a better idea than the Dillons because it opens up job opportunities, and it gives people a place to go during open lunch. People are complaining about construction, but they are excited for the food and the opportunities it brings,” Bitters said.
