Lawrence city commissioners will have their last chance tonight to make changes to the project to rebuild Kasold Drive between 22nd Street and Bob Billings Parkway.

After debating this project for two years and switching gears a couple of times, commissioners are unlikely to reconsider the design, but many people still are shaking their heads over some decisions that were made. Plans to reduce the grade on the south end of the project will make it necessary to build expensive retaining walls on the west side of the street. New 8-foot-wide sidewalks will be built along the stretch although it seems doubtful that the grade will be reduced enough to significantly increase safety for people on skates, bicycles or other wheeled conveyances.

The latest revisions to the project raise new questions. Bids for the project received in March exceeded $6 million, well more than the $5.2 million estimate for the work. Commissioners rejected the bids and revised the standards for the road to try to reduce the construction costs.

The effort was successful – the bid that will be considered for acceptance tonight is about $5.4 million – but how the city got to that figure may be cause for concern. The new specifications for the project removed a drainable base for the street and altered some of the subgrade material that will be used in the project. Changes also were made in construction techniques for the retaining wall.

There doesn’t seem to be anything more important than making sure this street is rebuilt on a good solid base and has proper drainage. Freeze-and-thaw cycles have caused many problems with potholes and road surfaces on Kasold and many other streets across Lawrence. Cutting corners on base material to reduce the cost of the streets seems like a penny-wise, pound-foolish strategy.

City officials say the new specs are sufficient for the new street, and commissioners are likely to accept that judgment. Perhaps they are right. We’ll know for sure 10 or 20 years from now when Kasold is either a smooth street or a potholed mess.

Last chance, commissioners. Are you sure this is what you want to do?