City officials want to start rebuilding a stretch of Kasold Drive this spring, but there’s a scheduling roadblock.

At least for now.

The Kansas Department of Transportation doesn’t plan on opening up bids for the project until February 2011, which would be the earliest that a contractor could be identified to actually build the road.

City leaders say they aren’t worried about scheduling differences, which they expect to get ironed out as plans develop to rebuild Kasold from Clinton Parkway to 31st Street.

“We’ve typically been able to work with KDOT in improving those schedules,” said Chuck Soules, the city’s director of public works. “Scheduling is always ‘one of those things.’ It’s just the process. It’ll get worked out.”

But KDOT officials aren’t busy accelerating projects these days, not as they face the prospect of missing out on millions of dollars in expected revenues from the federal government.

Just last month, KDOT postponed seeking bids on a planned $28.8 million interchange along Kansas Highway 7 in Johnson County, citing uncertainties in federal funding. KDOT isn’t sure whether it will get all, some or even any of the $261 million it has anticipated for the next fiscal year.

While Lawrence plans to use local sales-tax revenues to finance the bulk of the Kasold reconstruction, the job is considered a KDOT project because the state is slated to contribute $1 million.

And the state doesn’t anticipate moving the February 2011 bid date, said Kimberly Qualls, a KDOT spokeswoman. Or at least not outside the fiscal year, which starts in July.

“At this point, due to the current funding, it is scheduled for letting in February 2011,” she said. “Everything’s being looked at. We’re sitting and waiting, to see what the feds come up with.”

Soules said preliminary plans for the Kasold project likely would be forwarded to KDOT during the next few weeks. Engineers are still working on a few issues, including locations for medians and potential traffic detours during construction.

Lawrence city commissioners will review recommendations before definitive plans are sent to Topeka, Soules said. Talks to accelerate the project schedule will be ongoing.

“We’ll be ready to go,” Soules said. “And if we’re ready to go, we’ve had pretty good luck in having (KDOT) participate. But we have to be ready. … As we get the plans in, and all the issues resolved, it’ll clear up better.”