Downtown traffic changes

Drivers traveling through downtown McMinnville will have a new pattern to get used to.

This May, city officials voted to allow the Tennessee Department of Transportation to reconfigure the lane structure on Chancery St., between Colville and W. Main St.

In essence, drivers heading north on Chancery (toward "The Strip") will have a single lane to either drive straight or turn right onto W. Main.

Drivers turning from W. Main St. onto Chancery St. (at Gipson Insurance, turning toward Depot Bottom) will now have two lanes, which the city hopes will give a wider turning radius and eliminate trucks being stuck on sidewalk bollards.

The city's explanation, released on its social media page Monday night, read as follows:

Please be aware of a new traffic pattern at the intersection of 𝗡. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁. 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪. 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁. The old pavement markings and signage have been removed. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.Here’s what you need to know:

𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁.: This is now a 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲 that allows traffic to either continue straight or turn right. Previously, there were two lanes - one for right turns and one for through traffic.

𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗪. 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁. 𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁. 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: There are now 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 for this movement. This change was made to provide vehicles turning from W. Main St. onto S. Chancery St. with a 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘂𝘀, align the straight-through lanes on Chancery St. and 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁.

Please use extra caution as everyone becomes accustomed to the new traffic pattern, and pay close attention to the new pavement markings and signage. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause and appreciate your patience, attention, and cooperation. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀!