Hattiesburg’s busiest thoroughfare will soon receive some much-needed upgrades, as Hattiesburg City Council recently accepted a bid to repave Hardy Street from 21st Avenue to Green Street.
During the council’s Oct. 6 meeting, council members voted unanimously to accept the lowest and best bid from Warren Paving to complete the work.
The base bid for the project is $883,597 with an additive alternate of $77,500 for a total bid of $961,147.
“I’m glad that we’re getting to this now and not waiting until it’s absolutely unbearable to do this,” Mayor Toby Barker said. “This has been a part of a three-year planning process; the last time that Hardy Street from 21st Avenue to downtown was paved was probably seven years ago.
“So, we need to go ahead and get this done now, before it gets worse. We’re very satisfied it’s happening.”
Construction on the street is expected to begin later this year and will wrap up early next year.
Throughout the duration of the work, various sections of Hardy Street will be cut back to one lane.
“Hardy Street is obviously a long road; there’s five lanes in some places, and we’ll probably see overlaying going on,” Barker said. “We are going to add the stamping at the crossings, at places like Park Avenue and 17th and Hutchinson. That will really accent those places and make it safer for pedestrians to cross.”
Other Hardy Street projects include drainage improvements on 16th and 17th avenues – which are expected to start in the next two weeks – and redoing the sidewalk between those roads.
Also in the works is a roundabout at Adeline Street and 2nd Avenue; work on that endeavor is expected to begin early next year.
“(That roundabout) is going to transform those five stop lights into a safer, more efficient traffic circle,” Barker said. “All these things working together are going to benefit people who use Hardy Street east of (U.S.) 49.
“We’re very grateful for this project; our legislative delegation secured $400,000 of BP (oil spill) money back in 2018, which we were able to use toward this project. Without their help, we would not have gotten this done.”
The funds were secured with the help of Juan Barnett, who represents District 34 in the state Senate, and Missy McGee, who serves District 102 in the state House of Representatives.
