STARKVILLE — Aldermen on Tuesday approved a proposal to reconstruct Main Street to extend sidewalks and allow for more accessible outdoor patio and seating areas and streetscape modifications.
After discussion with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, the Starkville Main Street Association and several downtown businesses, Mayor Lynn Spruill told the board at its regular meeting she believes now is the time to reconfigure the design of sidewalks and outdoor areas of Main Street to be more accommodating to residents to coincide with the Highway 182 reconstruction the city plans to implement.
Kimley-Horn Landscape Architect Henry Minor created two proposals for the board on different designs for Main Street. The roughly 100-foot, wall-to-wall four lane road will be narrowed to allow for more sidewalk space and pathways.
“Our design process is one that always begins with understanding existing conditions and making a deep dive into really understanding the stretch of Main Street we’re looking at, really analyzing how it functions today and understanding what can be improved upon,” Minor said.
“In addition to that, we will be looking at a design concept — two different versions — that will hopefully generate ideas and thoughts.”
Minor said he plans to largely focus on expanding the corridor area in front of City Hall and create spaces where businesses can gather.
While this proposal will take away a small portion of road space, Minor said the design will not create a confined road or eliminate any parking spaces.
“What we’re looking at is not necessarily losing parking, but it’s really… how can that space be best utilized and reconfigured in some areas to where it creates both spaces for pedestrians in outdoor areas as well as sufficient parking,” Minor said.
Spruill said Main Street has not been overlaid in more than 20 years. The city was planning on an overlay project soon, so instead of just repaving the road, she said the best idea would be to take the Highway 182 plans and work the Main Street reconstruction design into that project.
“I love the idea of redesigning Main Street to be more accommodating, to be more welcoming, to have people out and about and under umbrellas or under shade structures and drinking coffee,” Spruill said. “That’s part of our leisure and entertainment district… I’m hoping this will increase the desire and interest for restaurants to show up downtown.”
The Highway 182 plan will revitalize the segment of the highway between Long Street and Old West Point Road. A U.S. Department of Transportation Build Grant will pay for 80 percent of the estimated $12.66 million project. Spruill told the Dispatch in March the project could be completed by 2024, but said Tuesday she hopes to see the Main Street reconstruction finished by the end of 2022.
Tax plan
The city plans to not increase taxes for the next fiscal year.
Board budget chair Sandra Sistrunk, who represents Ward 2, presented the proposed budget and tax levy plan for the 2022 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, at the board’s first public hearing on the budget.
While the city’s $1.5 million capital improvement fund is fully funded, no tax or rate increases are built in. Sistrunk said she has also budgeted for employee pay raises, increased revenue to the Oktibbeha County Humane Society and Starkville Public Library and funding for beds at the Lowndes County Juvenile Detention Center.
The board will vote Sept. 7 after its second public hearing on the topic.
“We’ve tried to take care of people and streets and those sorts of things that seem to matter,” Sistrunk said. “… I feel good about (the budget). We’re getting a lot of things done and doing this within our current millage structure and rate structure.”
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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 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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