LAWRENCE, Kan. — Police in Lawrence, Kansas, are preparing for a Jayhawk victory in KU's Sweet 16 matchup Friday night.
The city passed two ordinances this week to promote safety for celebrating fans in downtown Lawrence if KU reaches the Elite 8. But first, the basketball team needs to defeat Clemson University.
New this year, one ordinance bans people from accessing the roofs of buildings in parts of downtown before, during and after the KU game in the Elite 8 and beyond.
The goal is to make it less likely for anything to fall on large crowds gathered on patios and sidewalks to watch and celebrate.
Another ordinance prohibits downtown restaurants from serving drinks in glass bottles or containers. The establishments must use plastic or Styrofoam cups.
The city has adopted this policy in years past. The reasoning is plastic can do less harm than glass. So it's safer when large crowds gather along Massachusetts Street, for example.
If you're caught with a glass container, you could face a $100 fine. If police see you on a rooftop, the fine ranges from $1 to $1,000.
The rules apply to rooftops along Massachusetts Street from the north edge of 6th Street and the south edge of North Park Street, from noon on Saturday, March 24th through 6:00 a.m. on Monday, March 26, 2018. The ban resumes at noon on Saturday, March 31st through 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 3, 2018.
The glass ban covers bars and restaurants on New Hampshire Street (between Sixth Street and Thirteenth Street), Massachusetts Street (between Sixth Street and Thirteenth Street), and Vermont Street (between Sixth Street and Thirteenth Street). It goes into effect during the same timeframe as the roof ban.
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