We hope the Lewiston City Council made the right decision Tuesday night about changing Libson Street from four lanes to two between the Maine Turnpike overpass and the city line.

To accommodate new development along the commuter route that leads to downtown, the road needed to change. Either the road could lose one lane in each direction and add a left-turn lane, or it could be expanded to five lanes. Expansion was preferable, but the expected $8 million price meant that the project is years away.

Gosh knows, when we drive down Lisbon Street, another convenience store isn’t high on our list of wants. But that’s exactly the type of development the lane change will allow.

The developer of a new 4,000 square-foot store at 1930 Lisbon Road will pay to have the road repainted. So at least the questionable move won’t tap city coffers.

We’re not convinced that safety will be improved, and there’s a good chance that traffic will not flow as smoothly as people make their way toward the city’s Southern Gateway.

One good thing that came out of the City Council’s decision is that developers along outer Lisbon will be charged a fee that will help fund the eventual widening of the roadway. The plan, presented by City Administrator Jim Bennett, could speed the project and relieve some of the burden created by new development along the already busy road.

The road will be changed by November. That’s when we’ll find out for sure just how much development will spring up along Lisbon Road and just how much traffic will be affected.