Hattiesburg, Mississippi – Late Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Toby Barker was joined by Congressman Steven Palazzo, Councilman Jeffrey George and representatives from The University of Southern Mississippi to announce a $500,000 budget allocation for the expansion of an 8-ft multi-use path along West 4th Street.
This expansion picks up at the corner of the North 38th Avenue pathway completed in 2020 and extends east on West 4th Street to North 34th Avenue. As a part of the Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar MPO Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan, this pathway will complete the sidewalk network along this portion of West 4th Street.
“This federal funding will advance infrastructure that supports pedestrian and bicycle access near the USM campus,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “It would not be possible without the leadership, advocacy and seniority of Congressman Palazzo and his staff, and we are grateful for his support.”
On any given day, students, faculty and staff travel along 4th Street between campus buildings on both the northern and southern sides of West 4th Street. This project would provide a safer connection for travel for this entire area.
“Obtaining congressionally directed spending requires a community-wide effort, and this funding was secured with the dedication and hard work of Mayor Barker and his office. The West 4th Street Sidewalk project is a key addition to the ever-growing Hub City and the Southern Miss campus,” said Congressman Palazzo. “The safety of students and the citizens of Hattiesburg is of the utmost importance, and I’m excited to see everyone benefit from this new multi-use pathway.”
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