Citing the shorter days and foul weather to come, Sam Adams has ordered the intersection of N. Interstate and Greeley—specifically, the right turn onto Greeley from southbound Interstate—closed. It took crews about, oh, 15 seconds to make it happen.

Before:

After:

The move is meant to eliminate the right hook crashes that have injured one cyclist (or more) and killed another at that intersection in recent weeks. It’s only a temporary solution, meant to keep cyclists safe while the city’s traffic engineer figures out a permanent solution. Significantly, keeping the intersection closed is one of the possible long-term alternatives.

Drivers traveling southbound on Interstate who wish to head west on Greeley will have to continue on to Russell, make a right, and then a little turn around, and then a left turn back onto Interstate. Then, they can make a left on Greeley. Of course, that could create a traffic nightmare all on its own, which the traffic engineers will hopefully be looking at.

“This is the first time in my tenure as the commissioner in charge of transportation that I’ve closed an intersection due to safety concerns,” Adams said.

For now, the closure consists of two barricades, some traffic cones, and several signs that warn motorists that right turns are no longer allowed.