Plans are taking shape for extending 31st Street at the southeastern edge of Lawrence, a project that would include roundabouts at intersections with O’Connell and Noria roads.

Now officials just need to find the money.

“We don’t have any funds or anything to build it,” said Keith Browning, Douglas County engineer and director of public works.

But engineers hired by the county and the city of Lawrence — guided by an advisory steering committee with members representing planning, engineering, environmental and private-property concerns — are nearly finished with a document that outlines a path and design for such a road, whenever it might be built.

Douglas County commissioners, who received an update on the plan Wednesday night, learned that the road would be expected to run from Haskell Avenue to County Road 1057, have a speed limit of 45 mph, and include curves to reduce traffic speeds and avoid Mary’s Lake, a creek and accommodate other natural features.

The final plan — expected this spring — also will include cost estimates for land acquisition and construction. Earlier this month, officials learned that their application for an $18 million grant to build such a road was unsuccessful.

Steering committee member Karen Heeb, who lives along the route east of O’Connell Road, described the plan as “great” when compared with earlier possibilities, although she’d prefer that the rural area remain undisturbed by development.

“We like it the way it is, of course, but we realize this is inevitable,” Heeb said.