Mormon Trek Boulevard, one of Iowa City’s most traveled streets, is being converted from four traffic lanes to three. One through lane in each direction between Westside Drive and Melrose Avenue will be eliminated and a dedicated center turn lane will be added.
The change shouldn’t slow traffic on Mormon Trek, because drivers wanting to turn left will now pull into the center turn lane, instead stopping in the left lanes to wait for a break in oncoming traffic. It should also help prevent accidents, according to Scott Sovers, assistant city engineer in the Iowa City Department of Public Works.
“Getting the left-turning traffic out of the two inside lanes will reduce the chances of rear-end collisions,” Sovers said.