The City of Meridian is making progress on two infrastructure projects that have been in the works for more than a year.
In a meeting Tuesday, the City Council authorized a $121,447 agreement with Neel-Schaffer Inc. to provide engineering and inspection services for a sidewalk project along 24th Street and awarded a bridge replacement project on 34th Street to Joe McGee Construction at a cost of $739,614.
24th Street Sidewalks
A project to add sidewalks along 24th Street between 23rd and 14th avenues got off the ground in March 2022 when the city was notified it had been awarded a Federal Transportation Alternative Program grant to pay for the work.
The roughly $1 million project is intended to improve safety for students walking to and from Magnolia Middle School. The TAP grant will cover $788,671, or roughly 80%, of the cost, with the city chipping in the remaining 20%.
Assistant Public Works Director Mike Van Zandt previously estimated the project would get underway in October. On Tuesday, however, he said delays in the approval process from Mississippi Department of Transportation, which is administering the grant funds, has put the project roughly two months behind.
Van Zandt said a realistic timeline now would put work beginning near the first of the year.
34th Street Bridge
The bridge on 34th Street over Gallagher Creek has been closed since 2017, leaving 32nd Avenue as the only entrance to Meridian Activity Center.
The city was awarded $669,793 from the state’s Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund in August 2022 to replace the bridge and reopen the road. At the time, engineer Richmond Alexander said the goal was to have the bridge complete by September of this year.
With the council’s approval of the bid, Van Zandt said a notice to proceed would be issued for Joe McGee to begin work within the next 30 days.