Douglas County commissioners are asking for suggestions that could help drive the design of a new U.S. Highway 59.

Commissioners meet at 7:30 tonight to accept suggestions from representatives of volunteer fire departments, area school districts and others who could be affected by the layout of the new highway connecting Lawrence and Ottawa.

The four-lane freeway, estimated to cost $210 million, is scheduled to open in 2009 and follow an alignment that generally runs 300 feet east of the existing highway. As part of the project, the existing 18-mile stretch of U.S. 59 would remain in service as a frontage road.

Earlier this summer, engineers with the Kansas Department of Transportation asked commissioners for input that could help guide decisions about design issues.

Commissioners aren’t wasting the opportunity.

“As they say, the devil’s in the details,” said Charles Jones, commission chairman. “This is a chance to look at all the details and see how they’re going to work for Douglas County.”

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s preliminary plans for the freeway call for U.S. 59 interchanges at U.S. Highway 56, County Road 460 and County Road 458, also known as Wells Overlook Road. The freeway would be crossed, but not intersected, along North 1, North 150 and North 900 roads.

Commissioners already have discussed asking the state to finance construction of more freeway crossings. One likely would be requested to break up a 3.5-mile stretch, between County Road 460 and Wells Overlook Road, that otherwise would not have a crossing.

Commissioners want to explore whether adding a bridge, likely along North 550 Road, would make sense. Such features typically cost about $1.4 million each.

“There’s still a lot of negotiating to do,” Jones said.

Tonight’s meeting is scheduled for Building 21 at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2110 Harper St.