The Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission has earned criticism for taking so long to complete its work. Impediments to that end goal must be removed quickly.

Standing in the way of the agency finishing the decades-long project is an audit by the State Board of Accounts. That audit is expected in two to four weeks.

The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority refuses to give the LCRBDC any additional funding for the levee project until the audit is finished. It is difficult to fault the RDA for wanting to make sure its money is being spent wisely.

But the clock is ticking on this project. Already, the failure to complete the levee project has cost millions of dollars in damage to properties along the river and an incalculable amount of anguish felt by those property owners.

And don't forget the shutdown of the Borman Expressway, Northwest Indiana's traffic lifeline, because of floodwater that should have been contained by the completed levee system. That flooding caused costly delays in delivering freight and in getting passengers to their destinations on time.

Once that audit is completed, the LCRBDC needs to hit the ground running.

This project has continued for years and years, long beyond the expected completion date.

The agency needs to spell out exactly how much it needs to complete the project and then get the work done within that final budget.

Use eminent domain more aggressively, if necessary, to acquire the land necessary to finish the project.

There must be no more excuses for this long-delayed project. The heavy rains will come again, and the region must be prepared next time.