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Story Archives: City finds $3 million for Tower-Armand project


City finds $3 million for Tower-Armand project
posted Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 @ 5:01 pmE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
The city of Monroe is exploring ways to free up some $3 million to help complete the Tower Drive expansion project.

During Tuesday's regular meeting of the Monroe City Council, councilmen introduced an ordinance that would approve the expenditure of $3 million from the city's capital infrastructure fund to use toward completing the project.

Mayor Jamie Mayo said the city, through bond sales, has $6 million to complete the Tower-Armand corridor from Lamy Lane to U.S. 165 north.

"But, it was going to cost $9 million to complete the whole corridor, so I had to go and find the other $3 million," Mayo said.

City engineer Sinyale Morrison and city accounting director Stacey Haney identified the $3 million within the Capital Infrastructure Commission, Mayo said.

"I requested the infrastructure commission approve this $3 million and apply it to Tower-Armand," Mayo said. "They approved it unanimously, and now we are submitting it to the council for approval."

The city council should officially act on the matter at its next regular meeting.

"Upon approval, we will be able to complete that whole corridor," Mayo said.

The five-lane connector will provide a link from U.S. 165 to the 18th and 19th streets business district. City officials say the project is needed to improve traffic problems on Armand and connect it to U.S. 165.

Councilman Ben Katz said the connector also would help with traffic flow along Louisville Avenue.

"This is great news for the future of our city," Katz said. "Our mayor and city council have been trying hard, for at least a decade, to line up the necessary funding to complete this project. Pending council approval, we will now be able to ease traffic congestion off of Louisville and Forsythe avenues."

The project also will provide easier access between the University of Louisiana-Monroe's pharmacy department on Bienville Drive and the ULM main campus, Katz said.

Mayo added, "This project also will give us an opportunity to have more economic development and growth along that corridor. That's one of our corridors that's growing, and I feel this will speed up the process along with enhancing and upgrading it."

Engineers are currently working on right-of-way acquisition, Mayo said. As soon as that process is completed, the city can request bids to begin construction to complete the project.
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