Jackson County to build three sidewalks

April 23, 2009
By: Danielle Rogers
Your Capitol Bureau

Ted Lakey, Marianna’s city administrator, said Jackson County will get federal stimulus money to build three sidewalks.

Jackson County Engineer Larry Alvarez identified the three projects.

• State Road 166 from Bales Avenue to Marianna High School Road. This sidewalk will be built on the south side of SR 166 ($938,489).
• River Forest Road from State Road 166 to the entrance of Chipola College.  This sidewalk will be built on southwest side of River Forest Road ($85,755).
• State Road 69 from Hall Street in Grand Ridge to south of U.S. 90. The sidewalk will be built on the east side of SR 69 ($309,392).

Lakey said the Florida Department of Transportation will administer the federal stimulus money to city and county.

Alvarez said, “There will be no matching money required” from the city/county to complete these sidewalk projects. He anticipates 100-percent of the funding to come from federal stimulus money.

However, Alvarez said, if the projects cost more than the amount provided through FDOT, the city/county will be expected to pay the over-run.

Tommie Speights, District 3 public information director for the Florida Department of Transportation, said the list of projects was written by the DOT, local government and training organizations.

According to Speights, Gov. Charlie Crist signed off on the stimulus package, which included the Jackson County sidewalk projects. Now, the city and county will publish a request for bids from contractors. “Contractors will bid on the projects,” Speights said.  The contractors selected to do the work will hire employees.

Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, said it was difficult for rural counties to qualify for big dollars because they didn’t have large projects that were shovel-ready.

“Shovel-ready means planning is complete, approvals are secured and people could be put to work right away once funding is in place,” reported National Public Radio.

Coley said the sidewalk projects are needed in Jackson County because of safety issues, and the projects can provide jobs, at the same time. “We are very grateful to get those projects in the overall plan,” Coley said.