Tupelo wants $21M from the state, hopes to tackle multiple projects
Jan. 13—TUPELO — City leaders hope to secure about $21 million in state dollars during the current legislative session for a laundry list of infrastructure, buildings and other projects.
Each year, the Legislature decides if it will borrow dollars to fund projects across the state. Municipalities vie for portions of these funds to help further their own projects.
Lawmakers usually wait until the end of the session to finalize the bond bill's contents, but municipalities and counties often try to make their requests known early.
The city's wish list of projects and the funds its leaders have requested from the state include
— Mitchell Road upgrades — $7 million
— Railway upgrades — $4 million
— Ballard Park improvements — $4 million
— Replacing Fire Station No. 5 — $3 million
— Aquatic Center HVAC upgrades — $1.5 million
— Creation of Class II rubbish site — $1 million
— Construction of new police command center — $500,000
During the last session, the city asked for $8.8 million from the state. They received just a fraction of those funds — $1.25 million — and used that money for a variety of projects, including the construction of an "all-inclusive playground" at Ballard Park, lighting and curb upgrades to McCullough Boulevard, for turnaround access at the Elvis Presley Birthplace.
Mitchell Road eyed for upgrades
The city hopes to secure $7 million for improvements to Mitchell Road, including adding a sidewalk from Lawndale Elementary to Theron Nichols Park, widening the road and increasing the shoulder along it.
City Engineer Dennis Bonds said the city has eyed Mitchell Road for several reasons, noting that over the years, traffic on the street has increased significantly. He said the street, which was annexed decades ago, has not been brought up to city standard.
"We are looking to eliminate blind hills as well," he said.
Bonds said estimates for the cost of the project are based in part on similar construction on Eason Boulevard. Although the city doesn't currently have a complete estimate for the Mitchell Road project, Bonds said the $7 million the city has requested should cover it.
Quiet zone effort brought to legislature
As part of a request for $19.5 million in federal grant dollars to fund major railroad improvements, the city is asking the state for $4 million in bond money to fulfill the grant's 20% match requirement, Development Services Director Tanner Newman said.
The city already received $1.4 million in federal grant money to complete engineering work upgrading a significant portion of the railroad system to accommodate two quiet zones, which will run the length of the city. Bonds said the $1.4 million grant covered about 30% of the overall estimated $4.8 million cost of engineering.
A portion of the $19.5 million would also go to other railroad improvements, such as moving the switching operation from crosstown further south.
There are 19 railroad crossings throughout Tupelo that will need to be modified for federal quiet zone standards. Federal regulations require trains to sound warnings before crossing a road, but federally designated quiet zones let railroads waive the regulations, provided the crossings have cross arms, flashing lights, medians and other safety measures.
As part of this effort, the city recently began work on the crossings on Park Street and Spring Street.
Ballard Park upgrades back on table
Though the city received $500,000 for improvements to Ballard Park during the last legislative session, officials hope to receive another $4 million to continue the process of making the park more accessible, adding lighting, safety improvements, upgrades to playground equipment, building a new seated amphitheater and replacing the park's aging pavilion.
Parks and Recreation Director Alex Farned said with work on the Hank and Helen Boerner Skatepark at Ballard Park and the upcoming focus on a sprawling pickleball court for Lee Acres already underway, Ballard Park's upgrades were a long-term goal. Of the requested $4 million, most would go toward making the park's playgrounds more accessible.
"I think there is a big need for it," Farned said. "The playground is going to be a big piece of that (money)."
Despite not having a finalized design, Farned said they plan to build an open layout playground with age-specific activities and equipment that encourage play between similar age groups.
City hopes to upgrade aging fire station
Also included on the city's wish list is $3 million for the construction of a new fire station to replace Fire Station No. 5, which was built in 1970 and has seen neither significant renovations nor upgrades since.
Jordan said the request was part of the administration's efforts to replace and upgrade all of the city's fire stations, which began with the opening of the new Fire Station No. 2 last year.
"Our goal is to build a new fire station every five to six years," Jordan said.
Fire Chief Kelly Elliot said of the seven stations in the city, Fire Station No. 5 is in the most need of replacing.
Elliot said the station has a long list of problems that need to be addressed.
"It is very deteriorated," he said. "When you start looking at the health and safety of the firefighters, there are a lot of issues."
