If all roads lead to the Cross, then officials with the Christ-Centered Cross want to have safer access on the stretch of road leading visitors to it.
Officials connected with the Christ-Centered Cross have asked the Grenada City Council for an extension along Frontage Road that would cause less of an obstacle to visit the massive structure. The Christ-Centered Cross volunteers have asked the city for a permit that would extend the road.
“We have another three and a half acres out there, but the entrance is just awful,” said Cross volunteer Adrian Smith. “We’re asking for about 150 feet, but we’re waiting on that permit.”
A unanimous 7-0 vote among the city council earlier this month to meet with the Mississippi Department of Transportation will be the next step. According to Ward 3 City Councilman Lewis Johnson, the council will wait to hear what MDOT will bring to the table.
“Let’s get MDOT to release what they are offering,” Johnson said. “We need to have some language from them.”
Grenada Mayor Billy Collins, who is also a Christ-Centered Cross volunteer, said the plan will be to meet MDOT officials soon, but said the road extension is necessary.
“The way you have to get out there right now, you have to go through the Comfort Inn parking lot,” Collins said. “It’s a bunch of 90-degree turns to get to the Cross. I think financially it could be a good thing too.”
It’s been 18 months since the Christ-Centered Cross was raised on Frontage Road near Interstate 55 and Highway 8. The skyscraper stands at 120-feet tall and is 65 feet-wide. It was purchased by the committee group for $200,000.
When constructed, Grenada joined Winona, which had a cross installed in 2010; Florence, which had a cross installed in 2015; Batesville, installed in 2017 and Eupora, which had a cross installed in 2019.
“We’ve had a lot of work done out there and a nicer access to the Cross will be great for the purpose of what we’re trying to accomplish,” Collins concluded.
