RIDGELAND CITY officials say construction could begin in the spring on a project that promises to improve traffic flow along one of Madison County’s busiest thoroughfares.

The city is now wrapping up right-of-way acquisition on the Lake Harbour Drive widening project. In addition to that, the city has also resubmitted an interlocal agreement to the Madison County Board of Supervisors to help fund a portion of the roadwork.

“In the 2006 Madison County Road Plan, the county approved a $1.9 million item to cover 20 percent of the local share for the widening project,” said Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee. According to the five-page document, the funds will be paid to the municipality in three equal installments, once a contract for construction has been signed and approved by the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

The county is now taking the agreement under advisement. While the county will be taking on a portion of the costs, Ridgeland and the federal government are paying for the lion’s share of the work. The city is paying 100 percent of the design work and right-of-way acquisition, as well as $5 million in construction costs for the $16 million project.

The rest of the tab, a little more than $9 million, is being picked up by the federal government.

ACCORDING to the agreement provided by the city, plans call for transforming a 2.5-mile stretch of the roadway from Northpark Drive to U.S. 51 from a two-lane road to a four-lane thoroughfare with a new center turn lane, as well as adding new drainage, curbs and gutters. For residents who choose to traverse the road on two wheels instead of four, a new bike path, along with improved signaling and intersections will also be welcome additions.

But the improvements don’t come without a sacrifice. About 80 properties along the heavily traveled roadway were identified for acquisition, including 14 homes. The city also had to obtain some front yards and temporary easements to ensure that contractors will have enough space to work on the project. About a year after bringing on two firms to handle the transactions, work to purchase right-of-way is nearly complete.

In 2008, the mayor and board of aldermen signed off on two contracts, the first of which was for $84,000 with Appraisal Solutions to conduct the primary evaluations of needed real estate. The second agreement was for $35,400 with Old Town Realty and Appraisals to review the first firm’s evaluations. City officials planned to move residents from their current homes to homes of equal or greater value elsewhere in the corporate limits.

McGee said that during the winter months, the city will likely hire a contractor to complete asbestos abatement on the 14 residential properties, a requirement under federal law. Then, he explained, the homes will be torn down so the new lanes can be built.

“We take bids to demolish them later this year. We can’t start widening until it’s warm,” he added.