Attorney Jerry Summers told the Election Commission Tuesday night that the petition used by the Save Our Streets group may be invalid.
He said he and state election coordinator Brook Thompson agree that the group should have followed a 1997 state law rather than the city charter requirements for petitions.
The group is trying to block the conversion of McCallie Avenue and MLK/Bailey to two-way. Work recently got underway on the controversial change.
Officials said that under a city charter requirement for petitions, the group would need some 7,000 names.
But under the stricter state law, it would need 13,566.
Charles Gearhiser, attorney who heads SOS, declined comment. He said SOS will hold a press conference soon to announce its intentions.
He did say, "I have no quarrel with Jerry Summers. I have the highest regard for him."
Under the state law, the group must file its petition and then has only 75 days to get the large number of names - 15 percent of the registered voters in the city. Attorney Summers said the law is structured "so that it makes it very difficult to ever have a recall in Hamilton County."