Video: Major Thoroughfare Program To Get Public Hearing In February

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TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Tupelo residents will get a chance to give their opinion on a list of improvements as part of the Major Thoroughfare Program.

Phase Six of the Major Thoroughfare Program comes in at 17.3 million dollars.

The biggest portion of that is 4.9 million dollars to widen West Jackson Street from Air Park Road to Coley Road.

“West Jackson is vital, we have two phases there, the part near the airport and then when we get into the Jackson Street Revitalization project, there’s two portions of Jackson Street, but hopefully, eventually the entire street,” said Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton.
The Major Thoroughfare Committee has been working for months, preparing a list of projects for Phase Six of the initiative.

A public hearing on the issue is set for Feburary second at city hall

Voters have approved an additional 10 mills every five years since 1991 to fund the program.

Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton says it makes sense to plan ahead for growth and development.

“This is a program that the citizens of Tupelo have led this initiative and it has become a model to be used all over the country for how cities reinvest and build upon their infrastructure,” Mayor Shelton said.

Other projects include: Improving the Highway 45 and Eason Boulevard intersection, improving intersections along North Gloster Street and widening Eason Boulevard from Veterans Boulveard to Briar Ridge Road.

Although voters have approved the Major Thoroughfare Program by a wide margin in previous years, city leaders are taking nothing for granted. High tech presentations are being created and social media will also be utilized to promote the projects before a vote in April or May.

The Major Thoroughfare Program generates about 20 million dollars for the projects in each phase.