A four-way stop may not be the ideal solution for the intersection of U.S. highways 56 and 59 south of Lawrence, but some action was needed to try to increase safety at the intersection where accidents have claimed three lives in the past four months.

Officials and observers have cited various reasons for the accidents, from an increased speed limit at the intersection to poor visibility and inattentive driving. Any or all of those factors may have been involved, but the key factor is that the state is years late in addressing deficiencies in the heavily traveled U.S. 59 south of Lawrence.

The two-lane road has been the site of dozens of grisly fatalities over the years. As traffic has increased, especially between Lawrence and Ottawa/Interstate 35, the hilly, winding highway has become a major hazard.

The highway is scheduled to be replaced by a new four-lane freeway, but the road isn’t expected to be open until 2009 in Franklin County and 2011 in Douglas County. Many accidents certainly could occur on U.S. 59 between now and then.

The four-way stop at the intersection known as Baldwin Junction is warranted, but it’s merely a Band-Aid for a stretch of road on which drivers should redouble their attention and defensive-driving efforts lest they become another tragic statistic.