Extending the left-turn lane on Sixth Street west of downtown would be a huge safety improvement for Lawrence drivers.

The heavily traveled Sixth Street has a left-turn lane for most of its route, but not in one of its most congested sections, from Tennessee to Maine. In that area, vehicles must stop in the inside lane while waiting for traffic to clear enough to complete a turn. In the meantime, if the car hasn’t already been struck in the rear, traffic is backing up behind or darting into the outside lane to get around the turning vehicle. Knowing they are stopping traffic behind them, drivers in the turning lane may try to squeeze their turn into a traffic gap that is too small to accommodate it. One stopped, turning vehicle produces a number of accidents just waiting to happen — and they often do.

Although some Old West Lawrence residents have voiced concerns, it seems unlikely that the move would increase traffic in their neighborhood. The neighborhood’s uneven streets, some of them stripped back to the original brick, along with the many stop signs, make the north-south streets between Tennessee and Maine unattractive for through traffic. The new left-turn lane might even decrease traffic in the neighborhood by allowing residents to drive more directly to their homes.

It still will be inconvenient to make a left turn from Sixth Street during times of heavy traffic, but it will be safer for those who choose to do so.

The project is relatively simple. The street already is wide enough to accommodate the change if lane markings are repainted. If approved, the project could be completed this summer.

The cancellation of last week’s Lawrence City Commission meeting has put the Sixth Street project back on the city’s agenda for Tuesday. Hopefully it will be favorably received and placed on the summer work list for city crews.