[techkid86]

That is a possibility, which you can fairly easily use if you split the PWM signal cable to both left drive jags. That way, you have one PWM signal, (one jag from the program's point of view) controlled by one PID/encoder.

Now, the gyro will help in keeping straight, but it will not help in going a set distance. for that, you would use an ultra sonic, (or similar range finder)

my team is trying to use vision to determine distance, but there is a myrid of other ways to do this. If your plan may involve drive slippage, PID distance control wont much help.

now, you might be able to combine that with an accelerometer, and a gyro to use PID after you get across the obstacle. That is, what for the accelerometer to say you are relatively level, use the gyro to straighten out, then use encoders to go forward a distance. IDK how well this will work in conjunction, since there is a lot of variability depending on your drive system.