Downtown Starkville is preparing to undergo significant change as the city is planning a construction project to make Main Street more pedestrian-friendly.
Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said that the transformative project will make the downtown area more of a “life space” rather than a space dominated by vehicles. Spruill is hopeful that the new streetscape will invite more cafes to the area and will make retail businesses more accessible to pedestrians.
Starkville Project Manager Chris Williams said that the project will stretch from City Hall to the Montgomery Street intersection. It will increase the amount of sidewalk space on Main Street and will also add new lighting and landscaping to the area. The redesigned streetscape will also make it easier to close off traffic on Main Street for big events, such as Bulldog Bash.
Mayor Spruill said that the city will add decorative lighting to Main Street similar to the lighting used on Lafayette Street. Spruill said that the lighting on Lafayette Street has had a positive effect, and Spruill hopes to bring that same atmosphere to Main Street.
Though the project is meant to make Main Street more attractive to pedestrians, Williams said that the project will not compromise parking space.
Spruill stated that construction of streetscape project will constrict downtown traffic and business but that the city will do its best to ensure that businesses can continue their normal operations. Spruill said she believes the benefits of the project will outweigh the inconvenience caused by construction.
Williams said that about 60% of the project has been planned. He is hopeful the design will be completed in the next few months so that the city can get a bid on the project at the start of next year. Construction will not begin until 2024.
Williams said that the project will be broken up into phases. The city will complete each phase of the project as funding becomes available.
Spruill said that the city has $6.5 million in federal, state and local funds for the streetscape project. Spruill is hopeful that the state will provide more funding and that any outstanding costs could be covered by a bond.
Mayor Spruill said that she believes the streetscape project will make downtown Starkville a place where more college students will want to spend their time.
“Hopefully, we’ll create even more of an atmosphere of being downtown as part of your Starkville and campus experience so that there is something going on always from City Hall to Lee Hall,” Spruill said.
Ahead of the project, Starkville Utilities is installing new water and sewer mains in multiple locations around downtown. Work began in May 2023, shortly after MSU graduation.
Edward Kemp, General Manager of Starkville Utilities, said that the work was not done in response to an issue with the existing infrastructure but rather in preparation for what the downtown area may need in the future. Kemp said that the streetscape project played a role in the decision to do the infrastructure work.
Mary Williams, Capital Projects Manager for Starkville Utilities, said that new water mains have already been laid on Main Street and Jackson Street. Starkville Utilities is currently installing a water main on Lampkin Street and will soon begin to lay a sewer main behind Starkville Café.
Williams said that while the construction is mainly affecting businesses, some homeowners are also being affected. The new infrastructure is expected to improve water pressure in the downtown area.
Kemp said that he hopes the new infrastructure will reduce the need for future maintenance of the downtown water system. Customers are receiving new connection points onto the water and sewer mains. Kemp said these improvements should enhance the system’s performance as well as help with fire protection.
“We are well positioned to accommodate future growth downtown whatever that might be. It might be higher store buildings or more development. So, we’re really prepared to do that,” Kemp said.
Williams said that the utility work is currently on schedule and is expected to be completed by February. The utility work is being funded by ARPA and state funds. Starkville residents can receive updates on the construction by emailing [email protected]. Updates on road closures are available on the Starkville city website as well as on Starkville Utilities’ social media platforms.
New water and sewer mains are being laid in preparation for future growth downtown.
