Things need to line up better on 2nd Street, in downtown La Crosse

Once again the city of La Crosse is doing some road work on Second Street. Let’s hope this time they get it right. The city is reconstructing the south end of Second Street, and as part of that work, will install four-way stops at Second and Market, Front and Market, and Second and King. The goal is to make traffic flow better. But the last time the city did work on Second, after the reconstruction of the La Crosse Center, they only created more confusion about the rules of the road. The northbound lane is so narrow, that cars, and especially semis, are forced to cross the center line to avoid hitting parked cars. Cars traveling south have to move over for oncoming traffic, crossing over into an even wider portion of the road where cars park, and apparently where bicyclists are supposed to ride in both directions. That is unclear, because it is not clear how the lanes are designed to be used. As a result, those traveling north have to veer to the left after crossing State Street, crossing the solid line. I’m pretty sure I would flunk a road test if I had to drive on that stretch with an instructor watching. Many cars turning right onto Second off State mistakenly veer into the park lane, so the city has had to put up barricades. Let’s hope that as city crews redo Second, they take time to repaint the dividing lines, so it is clear just where people are supposed to drive.