Is Motts safe?
Opelika, Alabama · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Motts as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Motts
“Go. Motts is a quiet, low-density rural community in Lee County that presents very little safety concern for travelers or outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors typically pass through for fishing, scenic driving, or commuting between Opelika and Phenix City without incident.”
About the area
Motts is an unincorporated, semi-rural community located southeast of central Opelika in Lee County. It features rolling farmland, spacious single-family homesteads, and wooded tracts centered around regional crossroads. It offers a calm, agrarian lifestyle with quick vehicular access to broader Opelika and Auburn amenities.
- Rural / Acreage
- Quiet & Peaceful
- Car-Dependent
- Scenic
Walking and biking in Motts
Walk score: 9/100 · Bike score: 18/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes, paved trails, or bike-share programs in Motts; cycling is limited to experienced road riders navigating narrow, shoulderless county roads.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Very low rates of violent crime and minimal pedestrian foot-traffic hazards
- High rate of residential homeownership with well-kept private properties
- Peaceful rural atmosphere with immediate access to freshwater recreation
Cons
- Complete car dependency with no sidewalks, bike infrastructure, or transit service
- Reliance on Lee County Sheriff patrols with longer emergency response times than urban cores
- Unlit rural secondary roads that can be hazardous for nighttime driving
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is practically non-existent in Motts due to its low-density, rural nature; support shelters and social services are concentrated in central Opelika and Auburn.
What Motts is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and scenic, with local residents commuting and occasional boaters heading out to the lake.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Very quiet with light regional vehicle traffic along the main county connectors.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm and tranquil as activity winds down across the residential and agricultural parcels.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Pitch-black due to minimal street lighting, requiring cautious driving along dark country roads.
Transit, parking and getting around
There is no fixed-route public transit in Motts. The Lee-Russell Council of Governments (LRCOG) offers limited on-demand rural dial-a-ride transit with advance reservation, but personal vehicles are essential.
Parking is abundant and free throughout the area, consisting of private driveways, gravel lots, and designated public parking at Lee County Lake.
Things to do in Motts
- Spend a morning angling for bass, catfish, or bream at Lee County Public Fishing Lake
- Take a scenic countryside drive along Lee County Road 179 and surrounding backroads
- Drive 15 minutes northwest to explore the historic railroad district, breweries, and shops in Downtown Opelika
Local favorites
- Lee County Public Fishing Lake · Outdoor Recreation · 4.4★ (190)State-managed 130-acre lake offering shoreline fishing, boat rentals, tackle supplies, and picnic grounds.
- Butcher Paper BBQ · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.6★ (560)Acclaimed smokehouse a short drive northwest in Opelika, renowned for Texas-style brisket and pulled pork.
- Zazu Gastropub · Gastropub · 4.6★ (1280)Warm downtown dining staple serving elevated Southern comfort food and craft cocktails across five distinct levels.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.