City commissioners unanimously agreed Tuesday evening to shift the city’s street maintenance program in order to do some immediate patching of Iowa Street between Yale Road and the Irving Hill overpass.

Commissioners also directed staff members to have meetings with the neighbors in the area about possibly rebuilding the stretch of road and adding a center turn lane to a portion of Iowa Street.

The idea of a turn lane previously has sparked opposition from some residents in the area who were concerned it would make it easier for people to use their neighborhood as a shortcut to Kansas University.

But several commissioners said the issue of a center turn lane has to be given serious consideration after new data shows there have been 61 accidents on the road in the last two years.

Commissioners expect to have a report back on the project in April.