The possibility that a slow response to an emergency situation in North Lawrence would have tragic results was a risk Lawrence city commissioners correctly decided they didn’t want to take.

The upcoming project to rebuild the intersection of North Second and Locust streets, just at the north end of the Kansas River bridge, is expected to be a traffic headache for anyone traveling that route for the next several months. Northbound vehicles will have to detour onto North Third Street and face potential backups at a busy railroad crossing.

For most people, it’s just an inconvenience, but for an emergency vehicle trying to reach its destination, the delay could have tragic results. Mark Bradford, head of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical, had a plan that he thought would handle the situation. Chances are, it would have been fine, but it’s not the kind of thing the city wants to leave to any kind of chance.

City commissioners decided last week to pay about $30,000 in overtime to station one fire truck and its crew in North Lawrence for four hours a day, during the heaviest traffic times. The goal is to make sure an emergency crew can respond in a timely manner to a call in North Lawrence.

It’s not too much for North Lawrence residents to ask. They pay taxes and deserve the peace of mind of having access to emergency services. The Kansas River is a natural dividing line between the two parts of the community, and North Lawrence residents often feel they don’t get as much attention as they deserve.

At least this time, however, city commissioners have heard their complaint and responded accordingly. If even one dangerous situation is avoided by the presence of an emergency truck and crew in North Lawrence during the construction project, the expenditure will certainly have been money well spent. If no such situations arise, it still is a matter of being better safe than sorry.