Jackson Free Press

The Jackson City Council approved a memorandum of understanding last night granting Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. the authority to continue to change Capitol Street into a two-way street.

Johnson told members of the council that the city now has almost all the money it needs to move forward with the conversion, except for unknown costs associated with water and sewer work beneath the street.

"Getting the money for the water and sewer is affecting the timeline more than anything else right now. We have the money to pay for the actual street construction," Johnson said Monday. "We're there. The primary issue right now is the water and sewer, because we don't want to do the work and then have to come back and tear up the streets. That could be why nobody's talking about the start date."

The mayor said the money comes from a combination of federal, state and local sources.

The total project costs is $5.6 million, with the city paying $800,000 and the federal government providing $4.8 million. The state provided $2 million to internalize a parking garage ramp. The city's contribution comes from a bond issue for street re-paving, which the council passed during the administration of Frank Melton.

Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman voted in favor of the project.

"I'm sure that two-laning the street would bring business to the businesses down there," Tillman said. "I'm personally convinced it'll help, and the main thing is business and economic development. If it brings business back down to Jackson, I'm all for it."

The Jackson City Council also voted to approve a $222,208 price increase for the installation of a 54-inch water line at city council meeting. The project is necessary to increase water capacity to the downtown area to accommodate ongoing development, city spokesman Chris Mims said.

The change increases the city's payment to project contractor T&L Construction by $222,208, which would bring the total project cost to $8.3 million. Johnson said the contractors have had to compensate for the low quality of the soil housing the pipe, which is particularly water-logged and formed of non-stable sediment resulting from the fact that the location served as an abandoned bed for the Pearl River.

Council members also voted to approve the re-confirmation of A.C. Jimerson as director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, and Michael Raff as director of the Department of Human Services.

Previous Comments

ID

158878

Comment

Maybe I'm dense but I can not see how making Capitol St two way will bring any more businesses or traffic to it. Currently if I want to go to any establishment on Capitol St and I am lucky enough to find a parking space on Capitol St, which seldoms happens, the farthest I have to walk is across the street. Unless some one can explain how this will increase business and traffic on the street I think it is a $5.6 million waste of taxpayer money. I look forward to anyone showing how two waying the street is an economic development asset.

Author

wellington

Date

2010-07-28T11:47:20-06:00

ID

158886

Comment

are they two-waying just the stretch downtown or will it cross over gallatin street? as i understand it, this is also a big piece of the master plan for the airport parkway...

Author

eyerah

Date

2010-07-28T14:57:15-06:00

ID

158893

Comment

I don't think Capitol Street is involved in the Airport Parkway. I'd have to research it to be, but I thought it involved High Street and/or the Metro Parkway.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2010-07-28T19:54:05-06:00