A city project that began over the summer is now in its second phase.
Many of the roads that were part of the one-way street project, which will convert six roads in the downtown area to one way, have already been completed. However, the three road changes that sparked the most controversy will be converted in the coming weeks.
“We backed off the one-way street project for a little while to take care of some other projects around the city,” Kosciusko Mayor Jimmy Cockroft said.
According to Cockroft, the city will finish up Natchez Street this week and then begin marking Madison Street and Jackson Street. The city will space out painting the streets to allow drivers to adjust driving habits.
“It is changing all of our traffic habits that we have had for years,” Cockroft added. “But honestly I think that once we all get it done the flow of things will be better and it will greatly help our emergency vehicles get through downtown.”
Natchez and Madison streets will run north to south, while Jackson Street will run south to north.
The project is part of the Charrette and Museum project, which made suggestions regarding landscaping, hardscaping, traffic flow and other areas to improve the aesthetics and increase tourist potential in the downtown area.
Other plans involved in the project include a potential Mississippi Native American Museum, Old Trace interactive murals along with improvements to Redbud Springs Park, Strand Theater and Huntington Street.
Monroe, Washington and Jefferson Streets have been completed, and the city will start to increase enforcement in the coming months.
“We are still having a little problem with people parking in the bike lanes, but we are trying to work with folks right now,” Cockroft added. “However, we will start to increase enforcement as the project winds down.”
