Fairhope residents and visitors will need to adjust their speed while driving through downtown.

Fairhope City Council worked its way through another lengthy agenda Monday, Oct. 23. One item of note was a recommendation from the Street and Traffic Control Committee.

The recommendation was made to lower the speed limit in the downtown business area to 15 miles per hour and to change the intersection of South Summit and Nichols Avenue to right-turns only using a safety island.

The areas that would be affected by the speed limit change include:
• Oak Avenue to Morphy Avenue (north and south); and

Councilman Jack Burrell commented, "We have got to slow people down."

He went on to say that he received several emails in support and only one against the change.

Councilman Corey Martin said he had been asked by numerous constituents if this speed change would be enforced and would pedestrian police officers be present in the areas to enforce the change. No answer was provided.

Council agreed the change would send a message to drivers to slow down in the central business district and be mindful of pedestrians.

"What we do, we can undo," Burrell said about the change if it does not yield the intended results.

Council approved the recommendation, but no timeline was given for the change or when new signs would be posted.