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Lawrence council approves temporary right-turn-only rule at Winthrop Avenue plaza
Summary
The Lawrence City Council approved a temporary ordinance making driveway exits at a small Winthrop Avenue commercial plaza right-turn-only, with a sunset clause set for Dec. 1, 2025, after public-safety testimony and neighborhood debate.
The Lawrence City Council on Feb. 18 approved a temporary ordinance requiring vehicles to turn right when exiting several business driveways on Winthrop Street between Durso Avenue and Chickering Street, to reduce crashes and conflicts with oncoming traffic.
Police Officer Abel Cano, speaking for the Lawrence Police Department, told the council the rule is aimed at preventing drivers from crossing two lanes of 114 traffic after leaving the plaza. “The idea would be to limit that so that they go with traffic as they’re leaving the driveway,” Cano said during the public hearing, noting pedestrian traffic from nearby students and frequent vehicle conflicts.
Councilor Mark LaPlante moved to approve the ordinance with a sunset clause and said the temporary change would allow the city to measure whether it reduced collisions; the motion set the ordinance to expire on Dec. 1, 2025 unless reauthorized. LaPlante said the sunset will give the council an opportunity to re-evaluate the traffic pattern at the end of the year.
Council President Rodriguez opposed the measure, saying the change would push traffic into nearby neighborhoods. “To be honest with you, I think this is a very bad practice — this very bad ordinance,” Rodriguez said during debate, adding that forcing drivers to traverse residential streets is likely to generate new problems.
After discussion the council voted to adopt the temporary ordinance. The roll call produced five votes in favor and one against; the ordinance will be incorporated into the municipal code and will be removed automatically on Dec. 1 unless the council later votes to extend it.
The ordinance text as posted and read at the hearing amends the municipal code’s right-turn-only provisions (document number 440-23) to add the Winthrop Street driveway restriction, with signs to be placed at the exits for the affected businesses. The city clerk said that because the ordinance contains a sunset clause, no additional action will be required to have it removed from the code on the stated date.
The council did not adopt any additional traffic-calming measures at the meeting. Staff and the police department will be responsible for sign installation and enforcement; questions about whether an extension would require a second public hearing were left for the city attorney to confirm before December.
