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Funding OK’d for road project |
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Saturday, 19 December 2009 |
By KELLY DANIELS
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The U.S. Senate passed the a bill this past weekend appropriating $500,000 to what will soon be known as the Oktibbeha County Southern Bypass.
The road will connect the Lowndes County Artesia Road Bypass to Oktibbeha County’s Artesia Road. The Senate also gave $1 million to Lowndes County for an access to Alternate Highway 45 for eastbound truck traffic, hitting the region’s prime industrial sites, such as Eurocopter and SeverStal
Officials plan for these projects to provide one cohesive connection between Columbus, Artesia and Starkville and to improve the thoroughfare to the Golden Triangle Global Industrial Aerospace Park.
“It’s a good start,” said John Young, president of the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors. “A very good start, and we’re looking for some more benefits as we try to develop that area between Lowndes County and Oktibbeha County.”
Officials and lobbyists from both counties approached U.S. senators in Washington D.C., who appropriated the money as part of the FY 2010 Omnibus Appropriations Bill.
Construction is expected to begin in over a year, and President Barack Obama is expected to sign the measure before January. The project will tie in with the Poorhouse Road extensions coming from Highway 25, which Young says will relieve Highway 182 of traffic.
“We want to take it to Oktoc Road eventually and then to Poorhouse Road,” Young said.
Oktibbeha County has already been ordered to acquire right-of-ways for Phase III of the Poorhouse Road project, connecting Highway 25 to Longview.
Workers will soon begin the 180-day project of constructing the 1.2 miles from South Montgomery Street to Highway 25.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 20 December 2009 )
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