ELBERTA - A major downtown improvement project will soon be underway in Elberta, Mayor Jim Hamby has announced. The project will center around the addition of new sidewalks, greenspaces, drainage improvements, and more.

Hamby announced during summer that those plans would soon be under construction after the town was awarded an ALDOT TAP grant to help fund the completion of multiple projects to improve the downtown area. The town has received five bids on the project, and will award the project to one bidder during the upcoming Aug. council meeting to be held on Aug. 25. Construction on new sidewalks will begin shortly after the bid has been awarded.

Work will include constructing new sidewalks on the northside of Highway 98 along the two blocks from Chicago Street and Alabama Street. The TAP grant will help fund a lot more than simply the construction of sidewalks. Along the walking trails will be new aesthetic lighting and landscaped islands. As part of the project to improve downtown, proper storm drainage will be added in front of Elberta Pharmacy, located at the intersection of State Street and Main Street.

The full scale of the project is to eventually add sidewalks around the Civic Center, in front of the police department, from Highway 83 south on both sides of the road, from Illinois Street to Pine Street, and from Pine Street from Illinois Street to Chicago Street. Angled parking along the walking trails is also a future part of the project, so people will have the option to park off of Highway 98 and then walk through the downtown area with ease.

The ALDOT TAP grant received by the town allows municipalities to provide some type of transportation alternative for connectivity around town.

For more on Elberta, check out https://townofelberta.com.