Completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway will be the main topic of discussion at Wednesday night’s Douglas County Commission meeting.

Commissioners will discuss an exchange of letters between County Administrator Craig Weinaug and J. Michael Bowen, division engineer for the Federal Highway Administration.

In August, Bowen sent a letter to Weinaug asking a series of questions about growth plans south of 31st Street. Bowen also asked about the effect different alignments for the last leg of the SLT would have on those plans. In addition, he questioned the potential effect of the new Lawrence water treatment plant.

An alignment that would take the SLT south of the Wakarusa River (42nd Street) would create a major intersection at Douglas County Road 1055 (the continuation of Haskell Avenue), Weinaug wrote. It would probably create a more mixed and dense urban population area there, he said.

An alignment north of the river would create a major interchange at Haskell Avenue and could affect existing businesses that must be relocated south of the river and floodplain.

Not building the final leg of the SLT would mean existing roads – including Kansas Highway 10 – would have to handle increased traffic, Weinaug said.

The FHwA is conducting an evaluation of the SLT and the indirect and cumulative effects on development.

Commissioners meet at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday on the second floor of the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Mass.