Work begins on Hardy Street for enhanced pedestrian pathways, landscaping

Motorists are now observing function start on the Hardy Street Improvements Job, an endeavor by the Town of Hattiesburg that is made to beautify the extend of Hardy Road from 34th Avenue to U.S. 49, near the University of Southern Mississippi.

The initiative, which will increase pedestrian pathways and landscaping on the thoroughfare, commenced Nov. 1.

“It’s genuinely a beautification of Hardy Avenue,” Town Engineer Lamar Rutland stated. “We’re landscaping the median islands, and we’re making advancements at all the crosswalks all through.

“It’s a collaboration with several other entities in the Metropolis of Hattiesburg. So USM is the guide agency, then you have the (Hattiesburg) Convention Fee, the Area Growth Partnership, Forrest County, Forrest Common (Hospital), Hattiesburg Clinic – they’re all collaborating functions monetarily in this, together with the city. So it’s a bunch of entities coming alongside one another to beautify the Metropolis of Hattiesburg, and beautify our major road in the Town of Hattiesburg.”

As proven by renderings, the crosswalks at the most important entrance of Southern Miss out on at Hardy Road will be painted purple. In the heart of the crosswalks, workers will paint the university’s “dome” logo inside of of a red circle.

Do the job is expected to be complete by up coming summer, with a tentative date of May 2022, based on the temperature. Pedestrians and motorists are inspired to use caution when in and around the get the job done zone.

“On Hardy Road, you will practical experience (lane) closures only at night,” Rutland reported. “The side lanes, you may have some closures during the day, but Hardy Avenue will only expertise closures at evening and on the weekends – there will be some on the weekends.

“There will be indicators and issues like that. The road by itself won’t be shut it’ll most probable just be a single lane at a time. But it will only happen on the evening and on the weekends.”

The challenge was awarded to Webster Electrical at a complete charge of $1 million. It is funded by a Transportation Possibilities Software grant, which was offered to the University of Southern Mississippi via the Mississippi Section of Transportation.

The grant funding necessitates a area match which is shared concerning the College, the City of Hattiesburg, the Spot Progress Partnership, the Conference Commission, Forrest County, Forrest General Healthcare facility and Hattiesburg Clinic.