LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – The section of North University Avenue south of I-10 is a busy corridor with gas stations, hotels, and restaurants.

“It’s actually quite congested especially when you have the location of it being so close to I-10,” said DOTD Public Information Officer Deidra Druilhet.

The DOTD is planning some safety changes which drivers have already started to notice. A median has been built in the area near Alcide Dominique Drive and Hollywood and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.

It used to be open which meant side street traffic could turn left or right onto university.

“We were seeing an increase in crashes along that particular area,” Druilhet said.

The DOTD is planning to build two J-Turns in this area at a cost of $575,000.

The work began back in July. DOTD crews have already begun some turning lane work and pavement work. J-Turns are safety features which funnel drivers into a protected lane to make a U-Turn.

“Motorists who are coming from those side streets there, again, they’ll be required to make the right and drive a little bit further and merge into that protected lane where they can make the U-Turn,” Druilhet explained.

Once the J-Turns are opened, crews will work on merge lanes and tie in Alcide Dominique Drive to Hollywood and MLK. All of this work is meant to improve motorists’ safety on North University Avenue.

North University Avenue is also known as LA-182. The J-Turn project is expected to be completed in November.