Article by Madeline Pyle
The Southside City Council will move forward with the city’s Triangle Lane project after approving a bid of $34,625.35 from Atlas Asphalt on Monday.
The project will prevent traffic on Triangle Lane from turning left onto Batesville Boulevard toward Ramsey Mountain by installing a concrete island in order to seal off part of the lane.
The council approved the bid after hearing a presentation on the project from Robert Chatman of Miller-Newell Engineers, Inc. in Newport.
Chatman recommended the council approve the Atlas Asphalt bid because the other bid, from Rlh Construction of Salem, Ark., was more expensive at over $47,000.
Chatman said he did not have an answer from Atlas Asphalt on when it could start construction, but he hoped it could start this winter as long as the weather permitted.
The next step for the project is issuing a notice of award to Atlas Asphalt and holding a pre-construction conference, said Chatman. The conference is expected to be held in January.
Chatman also presented preliminary plans for a sidewalk project and explained the process for applying for a grant from the Arkansas Highway Department.
The sidewalk would be approximately 500 feet on Batesville Boulevard, spanning between Emmanuel Baptist Church on T and J Circle Drive and Dollar General on Upper Twin Forks.
According to Chatman, the sidewalk project could be considered “a high priority” for the grant program because the sidewalk would help the safety of Southside High School students. The estimated cost totals over $100,000. If the project was approved and received the Highway Department grant, Southside would pay approximately $35,000 of the costs.
The council tabled the project discussion for a later council meeting. Southside Mayor Ray Bowman said this would be the city’s “first sidewalk,” if installed.
In other news, the financial report showed that Southside will finish 2020 with a projected balance of $467,375.46 in its general account and $62,941.79 in its streets and roads account.
Aldermen Bobby Denison and Tim Fairchild were not present.
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