The Douglas County Commission approved Wednesday the easement purchase agreements for a major 2017 road project just east of Lawrence.

The project will replace a narrow bridge just east of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks on North 1500 Road, replace a narrow culvert at North 1550 and East 1625 roads and make major drainage improvements to the stream bed running west of East 1625 Road.

The project would close North 1500, which provides access to the East Hills Business Park, for a considerable time once it starts in the late spring, said Douglas County Public Works Director Keith Browning.

In other business, commissioners approved the county changing its health provider network from Freedom Select to one that Cigna PPO offers. Assistant County Administrator Sarah Plinsky told commissioners the county is self-insured and also provides health insurance for the Douglas County Health Department and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center. As a self-insured entity, it contracts with a third-party administrator to process claims. The administrator then works with a network of doctors and health providers.

The county has used the Freedom Select network for the past 16 years, but commissioners approved Plinsky’s recommendation to switch to Cigna PPO.

The change would save the county from $250,000 to $300,000 while providing county employees better in-network coverage options, Plinsky said.