When it comes to cars, I’ve got a sixth sense about me. Like when that red light comes on about checking the brake system, I know just what to do: tighten my seat belt. Well, my automotive senses tell me to keep an eye on the family of Briggs dealerships on south Iowa Street.

As we reported in January, a company led by the owner of the Briggs Auto Group purchased the property at 2851 Iowa St. and 2101 W. 28th Terrace that houses Breathe Oxygen & Medical Supply.

Back in January I didn’t have much information, but I now have confirmation that Breathe is indeed planning to vacate the property and move to a new west Lawrence location. Cliff Davis, director for Breathe operations, told me the company has signed a deal to relocate to 650 Congressional Drive in the retail building that houses Papa Murphy’s Pizza and other businesses. It is across the street from the Sixth Street Wal-Mart, if you are having a hard time picturing the location.

If you are not familiar with Breathe, it purchased the business of Advanced Homecare last year. It sells oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, walkers and other home health care items. The Topeka-based company said it realized it didn’t need all of the space it purchased as part of its deal to buy Advanced Homecare. The company got two buildings in the deal and was using part of the site for a warehouse. But the company has opened a warehouse at Forbes Field in Topeka, negating the need for one in Lawrence.

“We realized the Lawrence property is prime real estate,” Davis said. “Having a warehouse on Iowa Street really didn’t make any sense. It made sense for a higher and better use to be there.”

What that use will be isn’t clear. Back in January, the Briggs folks told me they did expect to make an announcement about their future plans for the site at some point. I checked back in this week, but haven’t gotten an update. Davis said Briggs hasn’t shared any plans with him.

Briggs, though, operates a multitude of dealerships in the adjacent Lawrence Auto Plaza, including the dealerships for Chrysler, Nissan and Subaru. The property clearly would give Briggs room to expand or to add another dealership line to the Auto Plaza. A new dealership brand would be very significant to Lawrence’s retail scene. Nothing generates sales tax dollars like auto dealerships. I’ll let you know when I hear more.

As for Breathe, Davis said he’s excited about the move to west Lawrence. He said the new building will be better designed for retail sales.

“It is going to be some beautiful space,” Davis said.

He said the company also will have a full-time, registered respiratory therapist located at the facility. That means the business will be able to provide some respiratory care at the location.

Davis said he expects the move to take place in late May or early June.

In other news and notes from around town:

• I perhaps may need to do more work to fix that brake problem because Sixth Street soon will have another stop light. As we’ve reported, plans for the Bauer Farm development — that’s the one with Starbucks, Sprouts and other businesses — long have called for a traffic signal at Sixth and Champion Lane.

City commissioners now have approved the final piece of the puzzle to allow that work to begin. Commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting approved a bid for nearly $347,000 to install a traffic signal at Sixth and Champion Lane. The light, along with some adjacent sidewalk improvements, are set to begin construction in June, according to a city memo.

A benefit district made up of surrounding property owners is paying for $150,000 of the project. KDOT also is providing funding for the project, according to the memo.

• Motorists also should be on the lookout for a new traffic light along Kasold Drive. Commissioners on Tuesday also approved plans for a pedestrian hybrid beacon on Kasold Drive near Riverview Road.

A pedestrian hybrid beacon is one of those devices where pedestrians can push a button to activate a red light that will stop traffic and make it easier to cross. (Actually, healthy pedestrians usually remember red lights don’t stop traffic. Brakes do.)

City commissioners approved the new pedestrian beacon after receiving a positive recommendation from the city’s Traffic Safety Commission. The traffic commission found traffic on Kasold was consistently heavy enough during peak periods that pedestrians often did not have the recommended 24-second gap in traffic to safely cross the street.

Public Works Department officials said they have most of the materials already on hand to construct the beacon.