HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — One area of High Point is looking to become a social district.

Uptown has new businesses moving in, and current ones are expanding, but there is one thing holding them back: a crosswalk.

It’s located right near the intersection of North Main Street and Hillcrest Drive, and the city of High Point wants it to be safer and more efficient.

The way it works now is you push the button to cross, and the light flashes yellow. Often times the cars don’t stop right away, and it takes a while before you can safely cross.

Businesses in that area say it is a common occurrence as people try to grab some food or a drink.

“We are hoping to create a social district here. Walkability is key, and safety is key,” said Mayor Pro Tem Wesley Hudson.

He is heading up the committee trying to bring traffic changes to North Main Street.

“What we are hoping for is a push button activated red stop light, so all traffic stops in all four lanes,” Hudson said. “We are also looking at adding some medians, possibly some crossing islands for pedestrians to make that crossing safer.”

The main focus is to prevent injuries while trying to cross the busy street.

“I have seen a few automobile accidents, and I’ve seen an accident involving a pedestrian which was pretty intense,” said Chris Bradley, the owner of Artistic Apparel.

Bradley crosses the street to meet with customers and have lunch.

“Most times I will just get in my car and drive across because I don’t want to take a chance,” he said.

He is not the only one that feels that way.

“It can be a hazardous affair,” said Michael Robinson, who works at Brown Truck Brewery.

He has noticed the same issues and also says since the parking lot fills up fast, that makes it worse.

“Although there are other places to park in the surrounding areas, if you can’t cross the street to get here, it can cause a potential problem,” Robinson said.

Brown Truck Brewing purchased the former Furniture Finds building next door and plans to open late this year but says traffic solutions are crucial to success.

“You can definitely see a lot of potential in the future,” Robinson said.

North Main Street is owned by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, so the next step is to submit the proposal to NCDOT to get their feedback, and it could be a year before any changes are made to the crosswalk in uptown.