Corridor beautification: N. Washington next

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Robert Smith, owner of Smith Grocery at 2303 N. Washington, points out overgrown shrubs near Waltersville and North Washington Street Monday. He said the shrubs have caused him a lot of problems. (Jon GiffinThe Vicksburg Post)

[4/20/04]A special allocation of $63,000 to enhance and beautify a north entrance into Vicksburg was OK’d by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday.

City Landscape Architect Jeff Richardson said work along North Washington will begin around the end of April and finish up in the fall.

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About $10,000 of the total will go to repaving the parking lot at the Kings Community Center. The remaining money will be spent on trees, shrubs and flowers. The money is coming from a $17.5 million bond issue by the board three years ago.

“We’re trying to improve the north entrance into the city,” Richardson said. “Since I was hired (10 years ago) we’ve been trying to improve the looks of all the entrance corridors.”

Work has already been done along Mission 66, Indiana Avenue, Clay Street and, most recently, Halls Ferry Road. The work at Halls Ferry and Interstate 20 cost about $37,000, Richardson said.

Landscaping on North Washington will be along the highway right-of-way between Waltersville Street and Spouts Spring Road. The area is about 8,000 linear feet and will cost about $6.62 per foot.

A resident in that area, Judy Stampley, 3175 Washington St., said she doesn’t mind the city spending the money for improvements, but doesn’t want any more trees in front of her house.

“I just like green grass,” Stampley said. “But, I don’t want no more trees.”

Robert Smith, the owner of Smith Grocery at 2303 N. Washington, said he is in favor of the planned landscaping, but said there are other improvements more urgently needed. He pointed out road problems.

When an 18-wheeler runs over there, “It’s like somebody dropped a ton of rocks,” Smith said.

Also in Kings, the Tommy Jones Estates, a 1999 housing initiative by the city, got an extension from the city board until November. The project to build homes in a low- to moderate-income area uses state grant money to offset the costs for first-time home-buyers.

The city’s deal is with Quality Development Inc., a Jackson-based company, to build homes on a four-acre lot at Roberts and North Washington streets. No city funds were spent on construction.

The Kings area north of the Vicksburg Harbor was annexed into the city in 1990. The area is historically low-income, and parts have been plagued with frequent flooding.

The current and previous city administrations have used infrastructure improvements including water and sewer work to help bring standards of living up while fulfilling the promises made after annexation.

North Washington Street is the old U.S. 61 North route before the bypass was built. It leads into the heart of the downtown district where the city has spent $8.2 million on improvements including the urban renewal program and road reconstruction.

Downtown plans also call for a $3 million art and educational park and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Mississippi River interpretive center and museum that will feature the MV Mississippi towboat.

In other matters the city board:

Presented a proclamation to Peggy Gouras’ G.A.T.E.S. class at Redwood Elementary School.

Recognized the senior of the month, Liz Sharp.

Received three bids for paving the parking lot at the Bazinsky Road ballfield. Bids from two local contractors and another Mississippi company came in around $300,000 each.

Awarded bids for sand and gravel.

Approved extending Lovers Lane to include a portion named Confederate Avenue to avoid confusion for emergency responders. Kenny Staggs with Warren County E-911 said that there are four different sections of road in Vicksburg named Confederate Avenue.

Entered into an agreement with Stamm Advertising Co. for a design for Vicksburg Police patches and cars. Police Chief Tommy Moffett presented the mayor and aldermen with preliminary designs, but said they were not final. The design for the cars reduced the amount of striping and changed the colors.

The city board will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday at City Hall Annex.