City commissioners want to reopen their debate on the controversial South Lawrence Trafficway project, just days or weeks before a federal agency is expected to make a decision on a key permit for the road.

At the urging of City Commissioner Mike Amyx, commissioners agreed to debate later this month whether the city should send a new letter to the Federal Highway Administration urging a 32nd Street route for the project that would take the road through the Baker Wetlands.

That would be a reversal of the city’s official position on the project. In May 2006, a divided City Commission sent a letter to the Federal Highway Administration urging that the road not be built through the wetlands. Instead, the city said it could support building the trafficway south of the Wakarusa River.

But two of the three city commissioners – David Schauner and Mike Rundle – who supported sending the letter are no longer on the commission. Amyx said the new commission needs to let federal planners know whether they support the wetlands route.

“I think we have a responsibility to have the discussion,” Amyx said.

Mayor Sue Hack agreed, and directed staff members to place the SLT issue on the city’s Oct. 23 agenda. Hack said she has been told that federal highway administrators will still accept a letter from the city, although the official public comment period for the SLT permit has been closed.

City Commissioner Boog Highberger voted in 2006 to send the letter opposing the wetlands route for the road. He said he hasn’t changed his position on the issue, but is open to the commission discussing the project again. But Highberger said he wants the commission to also discuss the option of converting either North 1100 or North 1000 roads into a boulevard that would move traffic around Lawrence. He said that should be considered as an alternative to a new highway bypass project.

Commissioners agreed to have that discussion also, but Amyx said he’ll continue to make a strong push for the SLT to be built on the 32nd Street route. He said any plans to build the road south of the river would take too long to develop, and would not help Lawrence deal with the large amounts of new traffic that is expected to come as U.S. Highway 59 is expanded to a four-lane road.

“If we don’t get ahead of this, I think the traffic problems will overwhelm us, and we’ll never get ahead of them,” Amyx said.

Hack said she also will push for the 32nd Street route. She said she is swayed, in part, by the significant mitigation package the state has offered as part of the 32nd Street route. That package includes rebuilding significant portions of 31st Street, which otherwise would have to be done with city or county money, she said.

The two new commissioners – Mike Dever and Rob Chestnut – both agreed to reopen the discussion but did not express any opinions on the routes Tuesday.

Opponents of the wetlands route say the road would damage the environmental and cultural significance of the wetlands. The Federal Highway Administration is considering permit application that would allow the road to run through the wetlands. A decision on the permit is expected some time this month.