The city is revising its plan for a proposed Highway 45 bypass after some residents complained about the road abutting their properties, Mayor Robert Smith told the Columbus Rotary Club on Tuesday.
The bypass, under the original plan, would run directly behind the neighborhood to the west of Highway 45 at Oakdale Park, south of Columbus Air Force Base, said city engineer Kevin Stafford, who was also at the meeting.
The revised plan would push the bypass farther to the west and into the wetlands, driving up costs, Stafford said.
“(The revision) is definitely going to impact the cost on the plus side,” he continued.
Although the project is still in the preliminary stages, it should cost an estimated $200 million or so, depending on the route approved by the federal government, he said.
Of the 20 to 30 routes considered in the past five or six years, the city has narrowed the choice down to two, Stafford said. One route runs closer to the current highway and will affect more people while the other runs farther to the west and will affect the environment more.
The city is currently performing an environmental assessment that will be finished by the end of 2010, he said.
Smith, who was the invited speaker at the Rotary Club meeting, said residents in the way of the bypass could expect a mandatory buyout.
“We”ll probably end up doing some eminent domain,” he told the group.
Smith also spoke of current and future projects for the city, like repaving roads in some neighborhoods, despite the city”s $3 million debt.
“We”re going to have to do something, whether it”s borrowing, going further into debt or whatever,” said Smith, whose office is fielding 30 to 40 calls a day about paving problems.
The city originally borrowed the money from the Mississippi Development Bank to pay for infrastructure projects, including paving, Smith said.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.