Corinth Parkway Widening Gets 124-Day Extension

The Corinth parkway widening project on South Parkway Street has a new deadline. The Corinth Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Tuesday approved a change order that adds 124 days to the contract, moving the completion date to Jan. 31, according to the Daily Corinthian.

The delay came from work that had to happen underground and overhead before crews could touch the street itself. Utility lines and fiber had to be relocated first, and that took longer than expected.

Why the Corinth parkway widening was delayed

Road projects in established commercial areas often run into the same problem: before a lane can be added, the utilities running alongside the road have to be moved out of the way. On South Parkway, that meant relocating both utility lines and fiber-optic cable.

With that relocation work now finished, city officials say the actual widening can begin soon. The extension gives the contractor time to complete the job after the utility work pushed the original schedule back.

Where the work is happening

The construction zone is south of U.S. Highway 72. The plan extends the turning lane farther south along South Parkway Street, which should help traffic moving in and out of the businesses along that stretch.

The project grew out of the construction of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott, which opened earlier this fall. Alcorn News MS covered that opening in our story on the TownePlace Suites ribbon cutting.

Drivers who use South Parkway should expect construction activity once the widening work starts and should watch for lane shifts and crews near the U.S. 72 intersection.

Other business from the Corinth aldermen

The board handled several other items at the same meeting:

• Mike’s Lane paving: Paving that had been expected in October is now expected in the spring.
• Property cleanup: Aldermen voted to adjudicate properties on Madison Street and Rolling Wood Circle, a step in the city’s process for dealing with overgrown or neglected lots.
• State funding accounts: The city is setting up accounts for state Senate bill funds for a Trailhead Park pavilion, Magnolia Regional Health Center’s planned residency building, and an elevator at the Crossroads Arena.
• Alliance board appointment: Mayor Ralph Dance appointed Jackie Holt to the mayor’s seat on The Alliance Board of Directors.

Holiday closings for City of Corinth offices

The board also set the holiday schedule. City offices will be closed on:

• Nov. 26 and 27 for Thanksgiving
• Dec. 24 and 25 for Christmas
• Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day

For more on Corinth’s commercial growth, see our report on Corinth’s sales tax collections.

Source: Daily Corinthian