JACKSON PROCEEDS WITH SERIES OF STREET IMPROVEMENTS

JACKSON - As work nears completion on one major street project in northeast Jackson, bids will be opened next month for another major street project in the city's business district.

Work on the Greensferry Road improvement began in July and should be completed in about a week.

The project was designed to improve sight distance of northbound motorists in the 800 block of Greensferry Road, near the intersection with Clark Street. A steep hill in the 800 block of Greensferry Road has made it difficult for motorists and pedestrians on Clark Street to see approaching traffic on Greensferry Road.

The work involved cutting back the crest of the hill and widening the shoulder on the right side of the northbound lane to provide a better line of sight with the Clark Street intersection. In addition, two new lanes of pavement were built in the 700 and 800 blocks of Greensferry Road.

When the project is completed, Jackson Mayor Paul Sander he plans to ask the police department to re-evaluate the three-way stop sign and flashing red light that were placed at the intersection last year to warn motorists of the hazardous intersection.

"We want the police to take a look at the intersection again, in view of the better line of sight, and see if the stop signs are still needed," he said. "If they're not, we'll take them out."

Sander said bids will be opened at the Sept. 20 board of aldermen meeting for several other street projects that are scheduled to be completed this year.

The major project will be improvements in the 100, 200 and 300 blocks of West Adams and the 100 blocks of North and South Missouri. Sander said the work will include removal of the old asphalt pavement in all five blocks.

"The streets have been resurfaced several times, and a pretty good crown has built up in the middle of them. That crown will be eliminated before the new concrete pavement is laid," said Sander.

Also this fall, the city parking lots behind the business district on the west and east sides of South High Street will be resurfaced with asphalt. "This was a project scheduled last fall, but it had to be postponed because of bad weather, so we've included it with the West Adams project," the mayor said.

Another project scheduled for this fall is resurfacing of Greensferry Road from North Hope to the concrete pavement in the 700 block of Greensferry Road. "Right now all we want to do is take out some of the bumps in the street and make it a little smoother for motorists," the mayor explained. "If we're fortunate to obtain a Community Development Block Grant in the future, our plans are to make permanent improvements to Greensferry Road."

Sander said funding for the Greensferry Road improvements and other street improvements come from proceeds of a one-half-cent transportation sales tax approved about five years ago by Jackson citizens.

According to the city's 1993 budget, the tax was expected to generate over $400,000 this year. With a January starting balance of $118,183, plus another $10,000 in interest earned, the city has budgeted over $500,000 for street and transportation improvements this year.

"The transportation sales tax has meant a lot of street improvements in Jackson since it was approved," said the mayor. "If the tax had not been enacted there would be a lot of outdated and wornout streets. The transportation tax is one tax that our citizens can very easily see each day the kind of benefits it provides to our community.

"Normally, I'm not in favor of taxes, but this tax has really helped the city make street improvements in an orderly fashion that otherwise simply could not be done."

He said past improvements funded by the transportation sales tax include Bainbridge Road, Washington, West Main, and numerous asphalt overlay projects in the city.

Sander said that each winter the board of aldermen prepares a prioritized list of street and transportation projects for the coming year. "The number and extent of projects we plan for each year depends on how much revenue we receive in the transportation sales tax fund," he said. "That way we never have a deficit in the fund."

The mayor urged citizens to contact him, their aldermen or City Administrator Carl Talley to suggest future street improvements.