Recent news stories about the upcoming replacement of the Kansas Turnpike bridge over the Kansas River north of Lawrence should serve as a loud alarm for Lawrence officials concerning the need to update the city’s street system.

In announcing plans for the project, which also will include extensive work to the East Lawrence and West Lawrence toll plazas, Kansas Turnpike Authority President and CEO Michael Johnston estimated that traffic on the turnpike will increase at a rate of 15 percent per year.

How is Lawrence going to handle the increased traffic – from private automobiles, trucks and 18-wheelers – entering or exiting the turnpike in Lawrence? Motorists undoubtedly will enjoy and appreciate a wider, safer turnpike, but what happens to the ease, speed and convenience of travel after these motorists get dumped on Lawrence streets?

Unless something is done to improve city streets and thoroughfares used by motorists entering or exiting the turnpike, that traffic is likely to create numerous bad bottlenecks.

Now is the time for Lawrence officials to think ahead, show some vision and decide how to improve the streets serving the East and West Lawrence turnpike interchanges, as well as other major traffic arteries. Turnpike officials say the overall project will take three years to complete. Lawrence officials need to get to work now to plan and execute a sound strategy to handle the growing traffic from the improved turnpike.

Unfortunately, this probably will trigger the usual Lawrence response of hiring expensive consultants. Also unfortunately, not all the advice given by consultants has proven to be visionary. Lawrence cannot afford poor advice followed by months of debate and delayed action that then fails to meet the city’s needs.

It is hoped the massive three-year, $140 million KTA project will light a fire in Lawrence’s city hall causing the appropriate officials to show some vision and courage in using the turnpike work as a springboard to make long-needed improvements in the city’s outdated, dangerous and deteriorating roads.