Hattiesburg, Mississippi — The City of Hattiesburg is beginning construction on a major infrastructure and drainage improvement project in the Unified and Irene Chapel neighborhoods to address long-standing drainage issues, upgrade aging utilities and improve safety and accessibility.
The project includes improvements along Magnolia Avenue near Cherry Street, Cedar Street and William Carey Parkway in the Unified Neighborhood, as well as drainage improvements near McCall and Collins Road in the Irene Chapel neighborhood.
“This project represents a smart, strategic investment in parts of our city that have needed attention for years,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “By leveraging state and federal dollars, we’re able to stretch local resources further, deliver real improvements for these neighborhoods and keep the impact on local taxpayers to a minimum.”
Work will include upgrades to storm drainage systems, improvements to water and sewer lines and improvements to roadside ditches to better move stormwater. The project will also include safety and accessibility upgrades, including crosswalk and sidewalk ramp improvements at key intersections, including Magnolia Avenue and Cherry Street, Magnolia Avenue and Cedar Street and Cedar Street and Tuscan Avenue.
The total cost of the project is approximately $2.2 million, funded by $1,033,396 from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s Mississippi Municipality and County Water Infrastructure (MCWI) Program, $1,033,396 from the City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and $119,000 from local water and sewer capital funds.
Residents in the affected areas should expect periodic traffic impacts during construction. Construction is expected to begin shortly and continue through the fall.
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