By Jennifer Jacob Brown

jjacob@themeridianstar.com



Since President Obama's inauguration, television, the internet, and print publications across America have been filled with news and talk about one thing - Stimulus, stimulus, stimulus.

In Meridian and Lauderdale County, local governments are keeping their ears to the ground in hopes of finding out when federal stimulus money will be coming their way.

The questions of how much stimulus Meridian and Lauderdale County will get, when they will get it, and what it will be used for have remain largely unanswered. The only exception is in regard to stimulus funds that will be distributed through the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

MDOT will distribute about $24 million in federal stimulus funds to small urban areas in Mississippi, according to a letter from MDOT addressed to Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith. The letter stated that the City of Meridian will receive $1,434, 282 of that funding. The funds promised to Meridian will be in addition to normal MDOT funding. If the funds are not used quickly enough, they will be re-appropriated.

MDOT provided the City of Meridian with a list of what they called "potential projects for economic recovery package," which include bridge repairs and renovations, street resurfacing, and other road and bridge upgrades. MDOT has not promised to fully fund all of the projects on the list, the total

MDOT stimulus projects

The following city projects are being considered for stimulus funds that will be distributed through the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

24 traffic signal upgrades in downtown Meridian

Renovation of 22nd Ave. bridge

Street resurfacing

Repair of 29th Ave. bridge

Repair of 26th Ave. viaduct

Widening of North Hills Street

(Source: City of Meridian):



Lauderdale County

Lauderdale County's ready to go project wish list: These are the projects at the top of the county's wish list for stimulus funds that were presented to Mississippi's federal delegation. (Source: Dist. 3 Supervisor Craig Hitt)

Interchange at I-20/59 Industrial Park

Widening of Hwy. 493 from Meridian to Bailey

Widening Hwy. 19 N. from Meridian to Philadelphia to four lanes

Relocation of airport taxiway



City of Meridian Wish List

These are shovel ready projects submitted by the City of Meridian to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. (Sources: stimuluswatch.org, City of Meridian)

Industrial road from I-20/59 to Hwy. 19

Street overlay

Street resurfacing

Industrial road from I-20/59

North Hills St. widening

Street drainage rehab downtown

Replace 31st Ave. bridge over Sowashee Creek

Repair retaining wall for 33rd Ave.

Sewer to annexed area

wastewater plant rehab

Water lines to annexed area

Rehab work at wastewater treatment plant

2 new water wells

Repair Long Creek dam

Rehab work at water plant

Lines rehab in waste water

Replace water lines

Additional treatment at water plant

Back-up generator at water plant

Valve truck and crew for valve maintenance

Complete Taxiway "A" relocation

Extension of Taxiway "A" relocation

Drainage improvements--maintenance, wildlife

Construct hangar access road

Kress Building new museum and exhibits

Sewage treatment plant for east Meridian

City Hall Green

26th Ave. subway renovations

Hospital District implementation

Carnegie Library restoration

Traffic light repair/replacement for fuel efficiency

22nd Ave. Overpass renovations

Demolition--old parking garage

Redline Community drainage project

Demolition--6th, 7th sts. from 22nd to 25th aves.

Demolition--Ragsdale Block 86 for new PD

Demolition--Trustmark Bank & surroundings

Downtown storm water management system

Demolition--lease spaces in parking garage

Demolition--Doughboy Monument surroundings

Energy retrofit City Hall

Energy retrofit Threefoot building

Recycling facility

Energy retrofit 35 public buildings

Solar power systems at 3 fire stations

Public housing renovations and repairs, all sites

Security lighting throughout 9 sites

Pot hole repair, street resurfacing

Erosion, sink hole repairs throughout sites

Reconfigure central maintenance facility

Property entrance signs with landscaping

Replace security doors at senior sites for safety

Repair buckling sidewalks throughout sites

Repair playground equipment for safety

Construct gazebo for senior citizens

Reconfigure community center for police precinct

Mobile data terminals in 50 patrol vehicles

8 new officers through COPS for drug/gang detail