GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Under Grand Junction’s Access Control Plan, the middle turning lane on Patterson Road could become a median. City data indicates left turns account for 74 percent of accidents on the road. City officials say, if approved, this plan will be implemented over the next 20 years as buildings and properties are purchased and developed.

The plan comes with two main goals: increasing safety and maintaining traffic flow for the more than 30,000 cars traveling on Patterson each day. City officials would like to carry out this plan without increasing the amount of lanes traveling in each direction.

“We’re trying to do that so that we maximize the life of that existing five lane facility. As soon as we go to seven lanes, you definitely have a median down the middle of it, you’re definitely taking out homes on one side or the other in order to carve that in or you literally have side walks for the proposed facility at the front door of some homes,” said Trent Prall, City of Grand Junction.