KU planning bus shelter to commemorate early 1900s campus trolley

LAWRENCE — During reconstruction of Jayhawk Boulevard last year, workers uncovered relics from the past — sections of trolley rails.

The rails were remnants of the KU Loop of the Lawrence Street Railway Co., which operated from 1910-1933. The tracks ran up Mississippi Street, between Bailey and Strong halls, behind Fowler Shops (where Stauffer-Flint Hall is located today), and down Sunflower Road.

To commemorate that era, KU is planning to install a bus shelter modeled on the old trolley shelter. The bus shelter will be located between Bailey and Strong, near where the trolley shelter once stood.

“There’s been an outpouring of interest in the artifacts and the history of the trolley line,” said Jim Modig, university architect and director of KU Design & Construction Management.

The shelter will incorporate stone and wood as well as pieces of the actual trolley tracks that used to run through campus. It will feature a long wooden bench in the style of the trolley shelter, as well as displays recalling the history of the trolley line and related topics. The shelter will also provide more amenities for transit riders.

“The bus shelter will offer additional seating and a welcoming place to get out of the rain, snow, wind or sun,” said Danny Kaiser, associate director of KU Parking & Transit. “It will also include a monitor displaying GPS-enabled real-time bus arrival times, which is a pretty important feature considering 11 different city and KU transit routes run through Jayhawk Boulevard, involving about 700 bus trips per day.”

KU is applying for funding through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives program, which would provide 80 percent of the cost for the $250,000 project. The project is slated for completion in fall 2016, contingent on funding and approvals. Favorable feedback will increase KU’s chances of being awarded this funding. Feedback, notes of support or other comments can be sent to Paul Graves, deputy director of Design & Construction Management, at pgraves@ku.edu.

“This modern version of the trolley shelter is a unique opportunity to create another campus landmark at a bus stop that serves thousands of people each day,” Graves said.