A public hearing was held Tuesday during the Oxford Board of Aldermen’s regular meeting to gather community input on a proposed intersection improvement project at Highway 6 West and Ricky D. Britt Drive.

The project, initiated at the request of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, includes the installation of a new traffic signal and associated geometric changes to the intersection.

The proposed improvements are needed due to a new commercial development planned for the north side of Highway 6 West. Barnes Crossing Auto Group has an interest in property in that area to bring the Hyundai of Batesville dealership to Oxford.

City Engineer John Crawley explained that while the project would be constructed at the developer’s expense, the intersection lies within MDOT’s right-of-way.

“This development is expected to be a significant traffic generator—commercial, retail, and so forth,” Crawley said. “The improvements, including the traffic signal, are aligned with our long-term transportation plan, which envisions Ricky D. Britt Drive eventually connecting south to Old Taylor Road as part of a larger traffic loop.”

The proposed signalized intersection would be located just east of Wells Gate and west of Thacker Loop, aimed at managing increased traffic volume expected from the development.

Trevor Moore, co-owner of Moore Brothers Auto Sales, which sits adjacent to the affected area, expressed frustration over the proposed access changes.

“Part of why we purchased that property was because of the direct access from Oxford-bound traffic,” Moore said. “This proposal essentially cuts off what made this location ideal for us. Our building isn’t set up to receive traffic from Ricky D. Britt Drive—it’s like asking customers to enter through the kitchen of a restaurant.”

Moore voiced concern that the changes would inconvenience both employees and customers and potentially impact his business negatively.

Mayor Robyn Tannehill acknowledged the dilemma, noting that MDOT has already approved the preliminary design.

“MDOT has signed off on the plan but asked us to hold a public meeting for comment,” she said at the meeting. “They’ve evaluated ingress and egress and determined this is the safest strategy for traffic management at this intersection.”

An MDOT representative at the meeting explained that the current median crossovers near Moore Brothers and at The Links apartments do not comply with MDOT’s access management standards due to their proximity to one another, which poses safety concerns.