The much-needed, and much-requested, action will soon be happening in Covington as the city begins paving South College Street.
The $1.2-million paving project, which will be the largest in the city’s history, will also include Bert Johnston Avenue and Mark Walker Jr. Drive and several residential streets.
The three roads are home to all four of Covington’s schools and the hope is to have the project completed before the school year begins in early August.
“We’re gonna do our best to get this thing up, running and completed, especially the school areas, before school starts back,” said Covington Public Works Director David Gray.
Gray said he hopes to begin resurfacing roadways on June 21.
“One of the largest streets that I hear the most complaints, and I’m sure you all do, is South College,” said mayor Justin Hanson. “We’re paving the entirety of South College from Pleasant, right here by the office, out to Hastings Way and Mueller Brass Road.”
The southernmost section of the roadway, from Mueller Brass the underpass just north of the Tipton County Justice Complex, will not have to be milled and can be repaved sooner than the rest of it.
See the route for the 384 bypass paving, from Hwy. 59 South/384 bypass at Hastings Way to Industrial Road and Hwy. 51, below:
“We can go on and get that paved and that will be good,” Hanson said.
Gray said that will be the first thing paved. The project will be funded by two USDA grants.
Additionally, the state plans to pave several roads in Covington this year, too. Gray said they’ll pave Industrial from the highway to Hope Street, Hope/East Street from Industrial down to the bypass and to Hwy. 59, then Hwy. 59 from the bypass to Hastings Way.
Author: Echo Day
Echo Day is an award-winning journalist, photographer and designer. She is currently The Leader's managing editor.
