Commissioners approve sidewalk design for Highway 11 project but table final green‑space plan after business concerns

Monroe County commissioners approved the design for a new sidewalk segment running south on Highway 11 but tabled a separate vote on the final green‑space and adjacent sidewalk details after business owners and at least one resident warned the plan could create a traffic and parking bottleneck.

The approved design, presented by Cannon and Cannon, covers the sidewalk alignment and a 10‑foot pedestrian crosswalk. Commissioners voted to approve that design as presented after a workshop review. "Is there a motion to approve the design as presented by Cannon and Cannon?" the chair asked before the motion passed.

The vote to delay concerned a later agenda item, the final green‑space design and a revised sidewalk alignment closer to a fountain. Jeremiah Cone, a meeting commenter, urged the county to mark the layout with cones and monitor actual traffic patterns before completing construction. "We're gonna put cones up, and we're gonna draw this design out down there so that people can see it and the businesses can see it... and we'll just continue to be able to observe it for a couple of days to make sure that the problems that we see with the design don't actually happen in reality," Cone said.

Several business representatives said the revised green‑space layout removes at least one parking space on Hunter's side and pushes the sidewalk closer to a driveway, narrowing the entrance and exit to a small parking area. One commenter urged the county to "hashtag out" (block off) a parking spot near the circle park side so drivers who become stuck can back into it and exit more easily.

After the discussion, a motion to table the final green‑space plan until the February workshop passed. A commissioner framed the delay as an opportunity to test the configuration in place with temporary cones and reassess before completing the permanent work.

Why it matters: The Highway 11 multimodal project includes sidewalks and green‑space elements intended to improve pedestrian safety and the downtown appearance. Business owners are concerned the chosen alignment could restrict access to existing parking lots and force drivers to back into a busy state highway, potentially creating safety and customer‑access problems.

The board noted that not all parts of the project are funded yet and that some elements would proceed later as grant funding—such as a tree grant mentioned by staff—becomes available. The board also said staff had previously reviewed design options during a workshop session.

The board approved the Cannon and Cannon sidewalk design; the green‑space and final sidewalk alignment will be revisited at the February workshop for further community review and possible revision.