A stretch of 19th Street in eastern Lawrence is down to one lane for traffic, as utilities crews work to install a new waterline underneath the road.

Flaggers are posted along 19th, from Barker to Learnard avenues, to stop and start traffic as needed to allow vehicles to get through on the one lane that remains open, said Jeanette Klamm, programs manager for the department.

City employees started the work this morning, and hope to be finished by 5:30 p.m.

While they won’t be tearing up the street — the line will be pushed through a hole bored about five or six feet down — they must to keep one lane closed for practical reasons: Behind the curb, there isn’t enough room for the necessary equipment.

“They have to set the backhoe in the street to make the hole so we can get the bore under the street,” Klamm said.