Reunion receives $5 million
The cities of Madison, Ridgeland and Canton, as well as Madison County itself, are getting a huge fiscal shot in the arm from the final approved bond bill approved by the Mississippi Legislature last week.
Among the windfalls from the bill, which is aimed at providing money to counties, cities and towns across the state for various projects, are four in Madison County totaling $6.75 million.
The largest amount is for the county — a $5 million investment in the second phase of the Reunion Parkway project, which will extend the parkway from Bozeman Road to Parkway East.
The funds are tabbed to pay for costs associated with reconstruction, design, engineering, land acquisition, right-of-way acquisition, construction and development of the project.
“It’s huge for the county,” Board of Supervisors President Gerald Steen said. “The state has tremendously supported that project. Two years ago, we received $8 million, so this $5 million mean they’ve invested a total of $13 million to help out with the Reunion interchange. We appreciate our elected officials in the Legislature and Governor’s office taking leadership on this issue.”
The project is designed to help move traffic in and out of the county’s biggest growth area — Gluckstadt. Steen said it will also help with commercial development along Bozeman Road and Parkway East. The latest BUILD Grant application for federal dollars would pay for the final $20.2 million of the project, which will cost north of $30 million to complete.
Canton, Madison and Ridgeland also individually received funding for projects through the bond bill as well.
Both the cities of Madison and Ridgeland received $750,000 to assist with the construction of new city halls.
Ridgeland is constructing a new town center on the corner of U.S. Highway 51 and School Street, across the street from the Ridgeland Library and the Ridgeland Police Department building.
“We are very fortunate to be included,” Mayor Gene F. McGee said. “This was not planned but we will put the money to good use.”
City officials expect the $15 million building to be open for business in December. McGee and other city officials have said in the past that money is in place and the building is paid for, largely using money from a recent bond issue close to $20 million. The project is ongoing. Most recently city officials approved an agreement with Entergy that will supply power to the building, specifically outlining easements.
McGee said that they will likely wait until the project is completed before they decide what to do with any extra money this may create.
In Madison, the $750,000 is tabbed to help the city renovate the old Madison School building and the performing arts center, which will serve as the new City Hall.
The development is part of the new Madison at Main town center, a $100 million development the city unveiled last year.
Earlier this spring, construction crews demolished the old school on the property to pave way for the new development. The Madison City Hall is slated for Phase 1 with plans to open with the next couple of years.
The city of Canton received $250,000 to help pay for the costs associated with alleviating flooding issues that have plagued the city of the past couple of years in the area of town between King Ranch Road and Highway 51, particularly near the Freedom House on Lutz Avenue near Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Specifically, the city aims to clear out Batchelor Creek, which carries runoff rainwater out of the area.