Heads-Up: This Is No Longer a Turning Lane in Lake Charles

I remember when I first moved here. My wife and I were turning off of Ryan Street on to Twelfth Street, and I ended up riding on the railroad track. It was at night and, while we laughed at it later, I can tell you if we would have come face to face with a train, it would have been all over.

Well, there was a lane on Twelfth, where if you were turning on to Ryan street, you could. But it sits in the middle of the railroad track. Now, while I have never seen or heard of any accidents, with the city growing a little, I am sure it was only a matter of time. One day, I was traveling and saw the yellow posts there. While it was not blocked from traveling, one would assume those were placed there to deter people from using it as a turning lane.

Obviously, it hasn't helped, as people are still utilizing it as a turning lane. Not only does doing so risk the chance of being caught by a train, but it also increases the possibility of having an accident from another vehicle attempting to make the same turn. However, I have not seen a public notice informing people not to use the turning lane. I would recommend not using it. To me, it seems like a traffic hazard and an accident waiting to happen.

So, the next time you are traveling on Twelfth Street and you want to get into the center lane to turn, please don't.