Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Wednesday, construction will begin on Hardy Street’s next road improvement project – a roundabout at the intersection of 2nd Avenue, Green Street and Adeline Street. This project, presented in late 2017, has been through multiple designs and grant application phases with the final bid project won by Warren Paving and funded by a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant through MDOT.
This intersection includes five streets converging into the same area and is often the root of multiple traffic problems – from congestion to traffic accidents. City officials hope to see this project relieve these issues.
“When designed well, roundabouts work to alleviate both congestion and traffic accidents.,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “Designed with enough room in mind to move the traffic through the area safely and smartly, we believe this is the solution that will aid in better traffic flow and a better navigable experience for both residents and visitors.”
At completion, the project will include the roundabout construction, new asphalt, green space, sidewalks, stamped crosswalks and improved road lighting.
Construction will begin on Wednesday, October 27, and it will take approximately seven months. Anticipated completion is set for May 2022, depending on the weather.
“We know that navigating the roundabout will be very new to some and take education through signage and consistent communication at several levels to be a successful project for Downtown Hattiesburg, and we are committed to doing those things,” added Barker. “All road projects provide for some level of inconvenience and/or disturbance in travel patterns. We ask for patience as we work through this project to take navigating the entrance to Downtown Hattiesburg to the next level.”
Officials believe that most of the project will be completed without road closures, except toward the end of the project. At this time, notifications will be communicated directly to the neighborhoods in this area, the library, Hawkins Elementary school, as well as through typical social and news media channels.
In total, the project will cost $1.8 million and will be paid for through the 2018 TAP grant and city general fund dollars.
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