One of the main roads leading into Baldwin City will get a makeover in 2012.

On Wednesday, the Douglas County Commission agreed to share with Baldwin City the estimated $3.2 million cost to upgrade a 1-mile stretch of Douglas County Road 1055, which becomes Sixth Street inside the city limits.

The project, which is slated to start during the 2012 construction season, will turn a rural country road into a more urban one with gutters, curbs and sidewalks, public works director Keith Browning said. A turn lane might also be added to the two-lane road.

The upgrades will occur between the traffic signal at U.S. Highway 56 and State Lake Road. For those traveling from Lawrence to Baldwin City on county roads, the stretch of highway is the main entrance into Baldwin City.

So far, the county hasn’t decided whether the road will be completely closed during construction.

“That will be one of the bigger challenges,” Browning said, noting there isn’t a clear detour to redirect traffic around the construction.

Baldwin City will pay the full cost of sidewalks and split the rest of the cost with Douglas County.

Wednesday’s approval will allow the county and city to move forward with hiring consultants and begin design work on the project.

This is the third time Douglas County has worked with Baldwin City to improve Douglas County Road 1055.