By John Howell
Paving season in Batesville was augmented last week with the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) announcement that it will pave Eureka Street from the Square to the Highway 6 intersection.
Repaving began on McMahan Drive this week and is expected to be completed on nine additional streets plus the Public Square before cool weather ends the 2016 paving season.
“This is the 12th year of paving streets,” Batesville Mayor Jerry Autrey said Tuesday, speaking to a Batesville Rotary Club audience. Following Autrey’s election as mayor in 2005, he promoted a plan that targeted a limited number of streets each year, starting with those in the worst condition, for repaving, plus milling if needed.
Other streets and areas where resurfacing is underway or is expected to be completed this fall include Medical Center Drive, John R. Lovelace Drive, Atwell Street, Jackson Street, Patton Lane Community Center parking lot, Graves Street, Dickey Drive, Van Voris Street and Holly Cove.
The cost for this year’s repaving is estimated at $294,709, most of which will be paid to Lehman-Roberts Co., low term bidder for the city’s paving.
Aldermen had originally budgeted $80,000 to repave Lomax Street but removed the street when they expected that Eureka would have to be paved at city expense. With MDOT’s announcement last week, Lomax could be reconsidered for repaving this fall.