JJ correspondent Cathead attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the Fortification Street project this morning and filed this photo* and report:
Representatives from the city of Jackson, the state of Mississippi, private businesses and neighborhood organizations converged at the intersection of Fortification and Jefferson Streets this morning to mark the beginning of the Fortification Improvement Project in a groundbreaking ceremony.
Work is expected to begin next week on the project, which has been in the planning stages for over a decade. The city awarded a construction contract in the amount of $8,988,961 to Hemphill Construction in April to implement the Fortification Improvement Project.
Virgi Lindsey, executive director of the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation, said, “We’re extremely excited about today,” Lindsey said. “We’ve been thinking about this project for a very long time; as a matter of fact, our very first meeting with the mayor was in August, 2001. At that point, it was just an idea, a vision that we would create something very different than what exists today on Fortification Street.”
“We envisioned a pretty venue that would lead people gently into the city and would connect our entire neighborhood, not just Belhaven and Belhaven Heights, but from I-55 all the way to Mill Street,” Lindsey said. Fortification is the only street in the city of Jackson that connects three historic districts: Belhaven, Midtown and Farish Street.
“We’ll soon have a street that calms traffic, has wide sidewalks, landscaping, decorative lighting and will embrace all the people who already use the street, motorists and pedestrians alike.”
Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. said, “When completed, Fortification Street will provide a more pedestrian-friendly corridor, motorists will enjoy a smoother ride, and I believe this corridor is going to greatly enhance the economic development prospects of this entire area.”
The project will reconstruct 1.2 miles of Fortification Street from Short Farish Street to Greymont Avenue. Major components of the project include:
*Replacement of the water and sewer mains on Fortification Street plus a 24” water main on Jefferson Street between Fortification and Manship Streets.
*Replacement of all existing sidewalks and construction of new sidewalks where there are gaps. All sidewalks will be ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant.
*Between Jefferson Street and Greymont Ave., the project will reconvert the four-lane section to three lanes. This change will provide a dedicated left-turn lane and additional space for ADA compliant sidewalks on both sides of the street.
*Replacement of all six traffic signals with new mast arm signals.
*Installation of traffic monitoring cameras and supporting fiber optic communication wires along the project.
*Installation of decorative lighting fixtures along the length of the project, relocation of overhead utilities to an underground vault east of Jefferson Street and installation of all new signage on the street.
Fortification Street will remain open at all times during the project. Businesses on the work zone side of the street will have a temporary driveway and a sign identifying their business posted. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction to accommodate construction, which is expected to last 18 months.
* From Left to right: Dick Hall, Central District Highway Commissioner; Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr.; Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon; Virgi Lindsey, Executive Director of the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation; Steve Funderburg, Chairman of the Greater Belhaven Neighbord Foundation Board of Directors.
26 comments:
There will be wrecks when everyone is trying to get in the middle lane to turn opposite directions or pulling out to merge, just like Old Fannin Rd.
@3:31: Great to know this blog has traffic engineers from MDOT among its readership. Jackass.
It does. Rudy and Joe's peeps read this website all the time.
I suggest those who have wrecks on Old Fannin to learn how to use a turning lane properly.
Or they could avoid Old Fannin to keep our insurance costs down.
So now you criticize someone with a valid opinion concerning the turn lane? Have you ever been in a turn lane with someone coming at you from the opposite direction paying no attention to you at all? Geesh.
Lucifer is sipping on a cold glass of water.
Or they could just drive downtown Jackson where there is no traffic at all........
If the sheriff would patrol old fannin rd?
I lost an oil pan going down Fortification Street. I anyone goes down that way could someone please return it...
7:12 - looking for Ridgeland cops crashing into people coming home from church?
8:36
flowood can handle that
I think they should leave fortification street the way it is as it provides a fitting entry into what to expect when you exit off I-55 and come into Jackson. Certainly it is a more honest "red carpet" than the smooth,wide entry of High Street and the great expectations that it portends.
I am shocked to see that Jack Town still has a mayor! I thought he left town in shame
Can you people be anymore critical? They are doing something that will make the city better. God forbid Jackson makes improvements in some capacity. It Could be a sign of good things to come for this city. How about a little optimism on this blog.
They are doing something that will make the city better.
Did High Street "make the city better"? Did High Street improve one damn thing?
What the hell makes you think that anything "they" are doing will make the city "better". Take your mouth off of Johnson's ass, look up (for a change), and see what is actually in front of you.
What's the deal? High St isn't nearly as bad as Fortification. At least they are trying to do something about f*cking Fortification St. What exactly are the whiners making comments doing to improve F Street besides sounding like brats?
The "big deal" is that they are doing the proverbial rearranging of deck chairs on the titanic. Plus the added bonus of a photo-op of leaders and shovels for a repaving project. Normally this is reserved for new construction, revenue driving projects. But in Jackson there isn't much opportunity for that picture to be taken.
Is that the road crew? They are going to need some mexicans.
"They are doing something that will make the city better."
Making it four new lanes all heading out of Jackson?
Who is that on the left, the Crypt Keeper?
That's Mr. Hall, Dick.
I was hoping this was a figurative photo of Larita's pallbearers.
Really, some of you need to go downtown. It's obvious you haven't been there since you moved to Madison or Pearl...oops...Flowood.
Indeed, it's rather obvious you don't travel at all.
That's what I don't get. Why is it that when Jackson tries to do something right, people still want to pounce? It's like damned if you do, damned if you don't. The city will do its thing...forget everyone else.
Yeah, I know. they gripe about the roads in Jackson and then when Jackson starts fixing this road, they gripe about that.
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