Monticello officials are preparing to move forward on a plan tobuild a major road to connect the downtown area to the new Highway84 bypass.

The town will wait, however, until Hurricane Katrina recoveryefforts are complete before taking any action.

“When the smoke clears from all this, we’ll take another look atit,” said Ward Two Alderman Steve Moreman.

City engineers, in a letter last week to aldermen, estimated thetotal cost of the project at slightly more than $2.3 million. Theestimate includes a three-lane road, curbs, gutters, lighting andsome landscaping.

However, the engineers suggested aldermen consider the projectin two phases to make it easier to fund. Phase One would build theboulevard and the east frontage road while Phase Two would add thewest frontage road.

Mayor David Nichols said the boulevard project will require thetown to issue a bond. He has urged aldermen to undertake the entireproject at once to take advantage of the low interest ratescurrently offered.

“I think this is a very vital project to the future ofMonticello,” he said.

The entire board of aldermen agreed. Moreman said the board willlikely pursue the project in its entirety when it decides to moveon it.

Aldermen have expressed some concern for the future of downtownbusinesses once the bypass is open. Businesses are expected tolocate along it instead of through the downtown area, which couldlead to a decline in retailers in the traditional town.

When some aldermen questioned whether they should get theopinion of existing businessmen in the downtown area, Ward FiveAlderman Craig Davis said he had spoken to many of them about theproject and they generally support it. Besides, Davis said, theproject is designed to help the downtown survive the loss ofHighway 84 traffic.

“If we do not act on this or something like it, in a few yearsthere won’t be anyone to ask,” he said.

The mayor said the Mississippi Department of Transportation hasagreed to build a portion of the frontage road along the Highway 84bypass between the old and new Highway 27s, but the city will needto complete that and tie in the new boulevard.

Plans call for the boulevard to lead from the bypass and link upwith Western Avenue. It would then emerge in town near the postoffice. No homes would be affected by the project, Nicholssaid.

The city has already purchased much of the land needed for theproject.