City officials are constantly at work to upgrade the area, and Mayor Will Hill recently provided an update on multiple projects in the works. One of those improvements is the sidewalk improvement project. Hill revealed that these updates are phase two of a “saferoom connectivity” project. The first phase was the widening of North Columbus and the reconstruction of sidewalks to access pedestrian accessibility between Louisville and Fair Elementary. This particular phase involves North Court Street and Mill Street in addition to North Columbus.
This part of the progress in Louisville is made possible by a federally funded project through the Mississippi Department of Transportation named TAP (Transportation Alternative Project).
Hill noted that this project actually began more than two years ago before the opening of Taylor Tool & Supply. Today, the project lends to better connectivity so that locals may get to the safe room in the event of a storm or attend an event in the Dome. The mayor added that the end goal of the project is to provide a connection for the schools, downtown and open up more parking as the city continues to grow.
The city has had to chip in some funding, particularly if a local share is required by the grant guidelines or if an area not covered by grant directives is concerned, but Hill feels “we have improved this area for all to enjoy for generations to come.”
The mayor also noted that there are two major industrial projects underway inside the city of Louisville with another “in design.” Hill added that all of these involve new roadways to “improve industrial traffic flow and provide accessibility for industrial properties for future development.”
The mayor added, “The city has been working on a very long-term plan to settle debts created by earlier capital improvements which include paving streets in the past and paying off debt service established from the disaster recovery efforts from 2014. we are working on a plan to lower our debt this year with substantial payments from monies received in reimbursements and how we are using the ARPA funds.” ARPA refers to the 2021 Biden Administration legislation commonly known as the American Rescue Plan.
With that explanation, Hill revealed that the city is “very close to securing a future bond financing package which would once again allow the city to pave a substantial amount of streets.” Emphasizing that the process takes a great deal of time, Hill stated that once funding was secured, the bidding process would begin. Once contracts are awarded, the paving would be completed within six to twelve months.
The mayor also pointed to a project on South Industrial Road, which is fully funded and will provide a connection from South Church Avenue across the main railroad to end on the southeast side of Winston Plywood and Veneer. “This roadway will provide truck access for raw materials in and residuals out in a much safer manner, eliminate the heavy volume of truck traffic that navigates on Armstrong and near Eiland Avenue, and also provide access for the newly expanded Taylor Companies in the south part of Louisville.”
Hill also pointed to the Louisville Rail Park master plan. Multiple streets will have a new connection to South Church Avenue as a result of the plan, and the railroad area that was once a federally controlled contaminated site is now “clean and prepared for new development.” Hill believes that the improvements planned with the park plan will benefit people in surrounding areas, not simply the city of Louisville.
The paving of city streets and the upgrading of sidewalks isn’t the only project on which the city is progressing.
Hill also noted that the improvements to the Strand Twin theater to be repurposed are still in the works; currently, the city is exploring funding options so that the next phase of the project may be implemented.
Hill especially noted the Parks and Recreation Department, which has “hit it out of the park” and “made a big splash” with improvements, notably a splash pad, a new playground, and ball fields. New recreational activities are available at these areas of the city as well as at an indoor activity space, which the mayor described as a “work in progress.”
Hill noted that Louisville has become a “sought-after destination” for sports tournaments, which boost the local economy.
