Another segment of Ingersoll Avenue will lose lanes of traffic under a budget item approved by the Des Moines City Council this week.

Why it matters: Reconfiguration of the roughly half-mile segment connecting the Ingersoll district with downtown is intended to slow traffic and improve walkability.

Yes, but: "Road diets" in other areas of the city have received mixed residential reviews.

• More than 1,700 people have signed a petition calling for a Euclid Avenue project to reverse course, for example.

Catch up fast: The Ingersoll Streetscape is a beautification project between MLK and 42nd streets that began in 2020.

• The work includes roadway reconstruction with fewer lanes of traffic, new sidewalks and raised bike lanes.
• Its final phase of construction is tentatively set to begin in about five years.

Driving the news: A new $500,000 budget amendment will extend traffic-calming elements associated with the streetscape about a half-mile east.

• Construction is expected to begin this summer, city engineer Steven Naber tells Axios.

Details: Ingersoll's current five-lane street cross section will be reduced to three between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and 15th Street.

• Buffered bike lanes and new on-street metered parking will be added.

Of note: The new section is considered its own project even though it looks like an extension of the streetscape, Naber says.

• Unlike the other Ingersoll Streetscape areas, these streets won't be reconstructed.
• Much of the work will be restriping the roadway and modifying signals and signage to accommodate lane reconfigurations.

The intrigue: The traffic reconfiguration was requested by some council members and is partly in response to new developments, Naber says.

• The corridor includes the recently renovated Crescent Chevrolet building, now home to Big Grove Brewery.

Full scoop: Ingersoll Avenue to lose more lanes

Elevated bike lanes are being constructed along Ingersoll as part of the streetscape project.

Why it matters: The lanes are meant to protect cyclists from traffic and keep them from getting hit by car doors.

Yes, but: There's some confusion on how they work with vehicles pulling in and out of business parking lots.

How it works: The easiest thing for pedestrians to remember when they see the red-brick bike lane is that red means "don't go," Bobby Kennedy of the Street Collective tells Axios.

• The concrete sidewalk is for pedestrians while the protected lane is for cyclists.
• Pedestrians should look both ways before crossing the lane.

As for drivers, they must yield to cyclists in the bike lanes just like any pedestrian on a sidewalk.

• Drivers turning into a business parking lot must wait for an incoming cyclist to pass before turning.
• Cars leaving a business must stop and check the sidewalk and bike lane before pulling forward to turn onto the street.

What they're saying: Drivers are in a hurry and may want to quickly pull up but "you might miss someone coming up on you," Kennedy says.

Share this story: How Ingersoll's protected bike lanes work

"The Legislature clearly has a legitimate ... compelling interest in protecting and preserving fetal life, especially in this case at a point in fetal development when the unborn child’s heart has begun beating …"

Driving the news: The Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday over Iowa's six-week abortion ban that's currently blocked.

Flashback: Last year, Gov. Kim Reynolds asked the courts to lift an injunction on Iowa's six-week abortion ban in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and a ruling that previously protected abortions under the Iowa Constitution.

Between the lines: The state needs the court to rule that the stricter standards previously blocking laws restricting abortion access don't stand anymore in light of the court rulings in 2022.

🔨 A nearly 110-year-old building at the corner of Sixth and Euclid avenues that's in poor condition would be demolished under a redevelopment plan announced this week by Invest DSM. (WOI-TV)

✈️ The Des Moines International Airport is adding 1,100 additional parking spots under a $49 million project approved yesterday. (Des Moines Register 🔒)

⚠️ State roads have improved slightly in recent years, according to a new report from the American Society of Civil Engineers. (Radio Iowa)

💰 An Iowa man claimed a $40 million jackpot this week, the largest in Lotto America history. (KCCI)

💼 Check out the fresh open positions in the city.

1. AVP, Appraisal & Consulting - Purchase Price Allocation at Situs AMC.
2. Western Veterinary Partners at Tyree and D'Angelo Partners.
3. Corporate Counsel at Baker Group.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

Welcome to another edition of "Ask Axios," where we answer your burning questions.

Q: We would like to know all the places in Iowa that have kayak access. Illinois has kayak ramps in certain areas. Where are kayakers supported in Iowa? — Cathy Townsend

A: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has a handy interactive map that makes it easy to see where the nearest water access points and trails are to you.

• Also check out water trail maps covering the state or a list of local lakes.
• And if you don't own your own kayak, here are some rental spots.

🐦 Linh's thought bubble: The Purple Martin Lake near Walnut Woods in West Des Moines is a more secluded kayaking spot. The state opened it in 2017 for recreational use.

• It's a beautiful area known for its birdhouses that attract the purple martin songbird.