Game changing improvements coming to Broad Street and 431 South

A sure sign of commercial activity is heavy equipment and traffic lights, and Eufaula will see more of both in the very near future.

Soon, those who love the smell of hot tar in the morning can start counting their blessings. The pylons and flagmen will come out as APAC road crews take over downtown Eufaula to complete what amounts to an extreme road makeover on Broad Street. The project is budgeted at $554,400 but the city’s share is just ten percent, $54,400. And that includes upgrading Livingston Street between Broad and Barbour from embarrassing condition to downtown standards.

We’re looking forward to the brief inconvenience of men driving road graders and lane wide asphalt laying rigs as road crews pour and press a fresh new Broad Street; from curb to granite curb on both sides of the old boulevard all the way from the Post Office to the Piggly Wiggly store on the west side of Eufaula Avenue.

When the paving is done, and the sidewalk and landscaping crews, brick layers, and underground utility teams complete their work on the streets and grounds surrounding the James S. Clark Center, downtown Eufaula will be dramatically enhanced. They’ve been at it awhile. But we guess is it’s a game changer for Broad Street, so it is best they take their time and get it right.

The improvements carry a price tag of roughly $388,000 with the city’s share set at just $12,000.  Again we’re getting a lot of improvement for a minimal amount of local money and making lasting changes with significant new infrastructure.

Once it’s all done, we’ll have an inviting new community space with street lights and walkways. Anchored by the Chamber of Commerce offices and adjacent to both the Yoholo Micco Trail and the shops, services and restaurants lining Broad Street, this area will reinforce the small town charm inherent in the historic Broad Street area and add ambience and curb appeal to a central corridor of Eufaula. The downtown works are timely and important projects and key steps in building Eufaula’s capacity to attract both tourists and residents to the center of the city.  A salute is due to all who had a part in this visionary project. It appears that Jay Jaxon is mayor for life so maybe we ought to call that area Jaxon Square.

As for that other sign of commerce; traffic lights, we have to look no further than HWY 431 South to the site of the new Wal-Mart Supercenter that is set to open in March. After nearly a year of steady improvements and construction at the new site, a key retail hub in our city is moving over two miles south of its current location.  That’s a game changer too.