In this file photo from August 2014, 23rd Street is pictured extending west from the east edge of Lawrence, in foreground.

The completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway may mean less time on the road for some motorists, but it also means less state money for the City of Lawrence for other roadway repairs.

The completion of the final portion of the trafficway in November means that 23rd Street — one of the city’s main thoroughfares — is set to lose its designation as a state highway and that financial responsibility of the street will fall to the city.

In its life as a highway, though, the street hasn’t had all of its repair needs met. As a result, city engineers say they are trying to identify deficiencies in the existing infrastructure to address as part of a “turn-back” agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation.

“We’ve got some areas, particularly on the east side of town, where we have roadway failures,” said City Engineer David Cronin. “So we know we’re taking on responsibility for a facility that’s not in 100 percent good condition, and we’ll discuss those things with KDOT as we work out the agreement.”

Cronin said repair arrangements are typical as part of turn-back agreements, and the city’s public works department is in the process of using the process to address various potential improvements to the roadway.

“We anticipate working with KDOT to come up with reasonable compensation to make improvements, to bring some of the street up to better condition,” Cronin said.

The recently completed leg of the trafficway connects the Kansas Turnpike northwest of Lawrence with the existing portion of Kansas Highway 10 east of Lawrence. After more than two decades of argument, the final portion opened for traffic in November and the entire SLT was designated as Kansas Highway 10.

But before 23rd Street loses its state highway designation, the agreement between the city and the state will have to be finalized, Cronin said. At that point, 23rd Street will also lose the state maintenance funding that goes with it. Cities that maintain state highway connecting links will receive $3,000 per lane mile in 2017, which is the same amount reimbursed for 2016. Cronin said the change in designation will mean the city will not receive about $55,000 in state maintenance funds annually for the roadway.

Other factors are likely to come into play as the agreement is negotiated, as state legislators have taken millions of dollars out of the highway program in the face of budget shortfalls in recent years.

Though Cronin said they have met with KDOT, the particulars of the agreement, including how much state funds the city will get to cover repairs, are still being worked out. Where those repairs will be concentrated is also yet to be determined, he said.

“I would love to reconstruct it all from Iowa (Street) to the city limits, but we know that’s unreasonable, especially given the current fiscal climate,” Cronin said. “We’re going to try to prioritize any funds that we get from KDOT to the most distressed areas that are in most need for improvement.”

Cronin said the negotiations and completion of the turn-back agreement would be finalized sometime in 2017.