Crosswalk coming on Morford Street

With some motorists treating downtown McMinnville like Talladega Super Speedway, city officials are acting.

The city has voted to add a crosswalk on Morford Street in the area of The Local and the back parking lot of Main Street Center, which houses several businesses including Begonias, Wink, and Southern Traditions.

The crosswalk will connect those businesses to a new parking lot on the other side of Morford Street. The new parking lot is used frequently.

There’s heavy foot traffic from youngsters taking classes at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, which has limited parking on Spring Street.

Alderman Rachel Kirby said she’s had several people contact her about the speed of traffic downtown. She said she witnessed for herself one young mother running across the street with her stroller.

Public Works Director Lyndon Bussell said the crosswalk would be 10 feet wide and 24 feet long. He said there would be signage indicating all traffic yields to pedestrians.

Based on the number of pedestrians crossing in that area, a crosswalk is needed.