Planning on an estimated $6 million reconstruction of Kasold Drive in southwest Lawrence soon could be on the fast track.

Tuesday night, Lawrence city commissioners will consider scheduling the project for engineering this year and construction in 2010.

Chuck Soules, the city’s director of public works, is pushing to get the project’s engineering work underway in February or March. The work would begin even before the city starts collecting proceeds from a citywide sales tax lined up to finance Kasold and other reconstruction projects during the coming decade.

The tax goes into effect April 1.

Soules suggests setting aside $400,000 for the engineering work, which would design a reconstruction of Kasold from Clinton Parkway to 31st Street. The project would include a concrete surface measuring 11 inches thick, atop a specially treated foundation designed to help put off pothole and cracking problems that are plaguing the 38-year-old road.

Also in the plans would be completion of sidewalks around the curve, which connects Kasold and 31st.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has committed up to $1 million for construction of the Kasold project, Soules said.