Amory looks to change downtown routes for 18-wheelers
Main Street in Amory has blossomed over the last decade. That's good for business and the city, but not always great for drivers.
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – Main Street in Amory has blossomed over the last decade. That’s good for business and the city, but not always great for drivers.
Assistant Police Chief Nicholaus Weaver said this causes the area to become congested, especially in the area known as Vinegar Bend.
“There’s already limited parking there, but what parking there is still hinders trucks from making that turn without stopping and waiting for that traffic to clear so they can go over on the other side of the road,” Weaver said.
Weaver said this has been a regular topic at city meetings, and Mayor Corey Glenn and the board are working hand in hand with the Mississippi Department of Transportation and other state officials to come up with an alternate route.
Sharing the lanes with commercial trucks and other vehicles can pose a threat to everyone on the road.
The owner of Lisa’s Jewelry and Gifts in the Vinegar Bend, Michael Tyree, has been at the store for almost thirty years and has seen some of the safety hazards, up-close.
“People are constantly walking across the street going to and from businesses, and during that time, they’ll have to come to a complete stop and that causes everything else to back up,” Tyree said. “I’ve seen accidents out here with 18-wheelers because they’re trying to get through this narrow curve here, and it’s been a problem.”
Both Weaver and Tyree agree that a new route would be beneficial to everyone involved.
“It would be a lot safer for them, to find a way to go rather than down the street here,” Tyree said. “We have a lot of issues as far as the trucks are concerned and we want to make sure the truck drivers get to and from where they need to go.”
“The way the parking is, you have to back out on the main street when you leave the businesses, and it can be challenging at times to see with the vehicles parked beside you and all,” Weaver said. “Especially in the Vinegar Bend area, not only for their safety as far as not being able to hit anyone but also for the citizen’s safety of backing out or pulling out from those businesses. It’s just going to make it an easier transition.”
Weaver said everyone will have fair warning if and when the routes change.
Any decisions made will be pushed out on the City of Amory’s social media sites.
