The extended debate over the South Lawrence Trafficway has taken a toll on Lawrence

Regardless of which route eventually is selected for the South Lawrence Trafficway, all parties involved in the years-long debate over the route should be ashamed by what this fight has cost taxpayers.

The trafficway project was initiated more than 20 years ago and was expected to cost about $43 million. The western leg of the road was completed in 1996 at a cost of approximately $60 million. And, a few days ago, Kansas Department of Transportation officials revised their cost estimates to complete the eastern leg of the trafficway.

KDOT is focusing on two possible routes: one on a 32nd Street alignment, which would run parallel to and just south of 31st Street, and one that would be south of the Wakarusa River on a so-called 42nd Street alignment. The 32nd Street location is priced today around$105 million and the route south of the Wakarusa around $125 million. Today’s projection or estimate of $165 million to $185 million for the complete route is shocking when compared to original estimates.

This jump in cost is a disgrace, but even as bad as this is, there probably is a far more damaging and lasting “cost.” That is the negative, divisive relationship that has developed between many Lawrence residents who, from the outset, favored the original trafficway route and, justified or not, those identified with Haskell Indian Nations University who have opposed the trafficway for various reasons. Unfortunately, Haskell, today, does not enjoy as much enthusiastic support from the Lawrence community as it has in past years. This is wrong because Lawrence residents should be enthusiastic boosters and supporters of Haskell.

Another major and damaging “cost” is the possibility the road might not be built because of a lack of funds to cover the huge dollar increase brought on the by the delays.

Lawrence is going to grow, and traffic congestion is one of the city’s major problems, with 23rd Street generating one of the community’s worst traffic snarls.

The SLT story should be featured in books, classroom discussions, city manager training programs, community-building efforts and any other teaching opportunity as a prime example of how to screw up a badly needed and worthy project.

So far, just about everyone is a loser in this stand-off: those who eventually will have to pay the bills if and when the road is completed, the city of Lawrence and Haskell. The only “winners” may be those who have used every method to defeat or stall completion of the road, if it is routed through the Baker wetlands. These “wins,” however, come with many costly price tags not in dollars and cents accounting but in terms of what the debate has cost Lawrence in many other ways.

The road is needed and long overdue, and the way it has been delayed is a shame and a disgrace. If it had been completed on schedule, work could have been under way for some time to make the Baker wetlands a true treasure, a project the entire community could point to with pride, and the trafficway could have been in operation at a substantially lower cost, helping to improve traffic congestion and traffic safety.