Signs intended to ease constant flow of traffic

By AMY SATTERWHITE Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

McMinnville officials are asking the public to take heed of new signs asking them not to turn right on red at Chancery Street onto Morford Street.

McMinnville officials are encouraging downtown motorists to take heed of new signs that no longer allow them to make a right turn on red at Chancery Street.

With so much traffic exiting off Chancery Street onto Morford due to closing portions of Chancery Street, traffic on High Street headed north is unable to flow due to heavy cross traffic, Public Works Department director Bill Brock said.

The Public Works Department, responsible for traffic flow around the Main Street construction site, which is expected to last more than a year, is trying to remedy the problem by having traffic stop on Chancery Street when there is a red light instead of just yielding before turning onto Morford.

This week, an officer was making a presence in an attempt to let people know.

“If we have a continuing line of traffic at Morford, you would never have an opportunity to pull out, so there’s a sign down there saying stop here on red and also no right turn on red and people are ignoring it, which is causing some problems,” Brock said.

McMinnville Police Capt. Bryan Denton said police have issued a few citations, but mostly have issued warnings since the new sign was put up, adding he is hoping people will take notice of the signs to alleviate the traffic problems.

“We think it will work if we can get the public to help us out with that,” Denton said.