STARKVILLE — Chris Williams, associate engineer for the City of Starkville, updated Starkville Town and Country Garden Club members on construction and beautification projects throughout the city at the club’s April 2 meeting held at the home of Sonjia McReynolds.

“My State of Starkville presentation is long, but I’m mainly going to focus on providing the garden club an overview of the Highway 182, Main Street and Highway 12 roundabout construction projects as well as several park and beautification projects that I know y’all are interested in,” Williams said.

Highway 182 construction

Williams said the Highway 182 construction project stretches from Long Street to Old West Point Road, with the goal of returning Highway 182 to a people-centric street that becomes part of the downtown area with shops.

Williams said this part of town has not developed like other areas because of poor and failing infrastructure installed years ago when there were no specific codes.

“The sewer and drainage were messed up, and no developer could fix that,” Williams said. “Therefore, a major portion of the build project is upgrading all the infrastructure. Sixty-inch drainage pipes are going in the ground to ensure everything drains quickly, and we are moving all those pipes to a central location and bringing everything up to code. Once this is done, developers can build with confidence.”

The $42 million project is challenging because the old system must remain in operation while the new system is built and then switched over all at once. Because businesses cannot shut down for a year and a half, construction is being completed one block at a time.

“This is a huge collaborative and transformative effort from the federal side all the way down to local, and we’ve been able to do this $42 million project with just $2 million of local funds, which is incredible,” Williams said.

In addition to sewer and drainage improvements, the city is upgrading electrical wiring and lighting by moving communication wires and distribution electrical lines underground. Because some high-voltage wiring cannot go underground, 75-foot metal poles are being installed every 500 feet.

Williams said the city is spending about $1 million a month and that the project is about 54% complete.

Main Street

Rebuilding Main Street began two years ago with waterline repairs. Current work includes making downtown compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, expanding sidewalks for outdoor dining and creating a more walkable destination.

“The old planters were not big enough for the tree roots and heat stress,” Williams said. “Therefore, we are installing Silva Cells, a technology that allows the trees to have more room for their roots and for us to pave over the area without compacting the dirt.”
Williams said the average life of a tree in a concrete planter is seven years without the Silva Cell system.

“By using this technology, our grandkids will be able to enjoy the shade of the trees being planted,” Williams said.

He said only five parking spaces have been removed, and delivery zones on side streets will keep large trucks from blocking traffic. Work is being completed in phases to reduce disruption to businesses. The Main Street project is a $7.7 million effort expected to be completed in January 2027.

Traffic signals

Williams said the city is installing pre-emptive GPS- and cellphone-based software that allows traffic lights to change for emergency vehicles and buses. Each signal box costs about $7,000, and each vehicle unit costs about $6,000, so installation will occur gradually.

Highway 12 redesign

Williams said the Mississippi Department of Transportation led the redesign because of frequent accidents. The project reduced potential crash points and has lowered major accidents by 70%. Bus data shows travel time from Walmart to campus is about 13% faster.

Williams said narrower lanes are intentional to slow drivers.

“Starkville is only four miles by five miles, so you are not going cross country,” Williams said. “We need to make it safer for pedestrians.”

He added that a pedestrian hit at 20 mph has about an 8% chance of death, compared with 50% at 40 mph.

Highway 12 roundabout

A roundabout is planned for Highway 12 and Garrard Road to reduce accidents in a high-traffic area near Walmart and other businesses. Traffic is expected to increase with new developments.

“I don’t care if you are Mario Andretti, you are not going fast in a roundabout,” Williams said. “You physically can’t go more than 26 miles an hour through this roundabout.”

Construction is expected to begin in fall 2026 and be completed in 2028.

Parks and beautification

The $3.2 million Needmore Center was completed last year and includes a 3,500-square-foot event space available for rent. The $7.7 million McKee Park upgrades, including a dog park, were recently completed and received an award from the Mississippi Parks and Recreation Association.

After the presentation, club President Lynne Strickland conducted the business meeting. Members discussed volunteer opportunities, including community cleanup efforts, planting projects and the club’s Garden Therapy Program.

Hostesses for the April meeting were Jennifer Blackburn, Melanie McNeel, Joan Hamilton and Sonjia McReynolds.

The Starkville Town and Country Garden Club was formed in 1965 and is affiliated with the Garden Clubs of Mississippi Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc.