On Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., Columbus Mayor Robert Smith and Butch Brown, the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, will announce a $2 million grant at Riverwalk Park in Columbus.
The State Transportation Enhancement Funding grant will transform the historic Highway 82 bridge across the Tombigbee River in downtown Columbus into a pedestrian walkway and park.
“We greatly appreciate the support MDOT has given this project. We look forward to working with the state to beautify the Columbus Riverwalk and surrounding downtown area,” Smith said.
Columbus applied for funding in 2008. Last year, a $200,000 state grant financed a structural assessment and project planning.
The city and MDOT hope the new grant will complete the restoration, adding a vibrant centerpiece to downtown while opening new business opportunities along the popular Riverwalk and on what is commonly known as “The Island” in Columbus.
MDOT funding and support has played a major role in transportation and job-creation projects in Columbus and Lowndes County in recent months.
Just last week, the state awarded a $3.4 million contract to pave Highway 182 from Plymouth Road to the Alabama state line and $2.906 million to replace two bridges on Highway 182 near the West Bank Port.
The bridge projects are critical to allowing heavy trucks to transport materials to and from Severstal and other major employers in the Lowndes County Industrial Park.
In addition, MDOT provided $1.1 million to overlay numerous city streets, including the rebuilding of busy Military Road, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Tennessee- Tombigbee Waterway Authority received $350,000 for its new Transportation Museum, which will attract visitors to downtown and offer educational opportunities for area students.
Those recent grants don”t include millions for industrial park infrastructure, city and county roads, and intersection upgrades. Aside from transportation, MDOT has given more than $280,000 during the past 10 years to support the Columbus summer youth jobs program.
In addition to the Riverwalk project, Mayor Smith and Brown also plan to discuss continued MDOT support and funding for the Highway 45 Bypass.
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