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Story Archives: More beautification work planned in Monroe


More beautification work planned in Monroe
by Scott Rogers - posted Thursday, May 14th, 2009 @ 12:31 amE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
The city of Monroe will look to improve several streets along its business corridors with state grant money.

At its regular meeting Tuesday, the Monroe City Council signed off on numerous grant applications to the Louisiana Department of Transportation Enhancement Grant Program. If approved for the grants, the city would use the money to bury power lines and add sidewalks as well as for other beautification projects along a host of streets in downtown Monroe.

Monroe grant writer Rod Guy said there are numerous benefits to the beautification projects, especially concerning economic development opportunities.

"When you talk about economic development and somebody comes and sees a beautiful city with sidewalks and landscaping and antique lighting, especially in the business districts, this will improve the city's chances economically," Guy said. "If you have a CEO of a major industry fly into the airport, you are going to bring him down the major business thoroughfares in Monroe."

"Even if he has to go to West Monroe, he's got to go down Louisville, so if he is seeing beautiful thoroughfares, what is he going to think -- the quality of life in that city is high," Guy explained. "Where do you think he would want to locate his industry given a choice of a city that's beautiful compared to one that's not."

He said the city is currently in the process of bidding the beautification project, which will span from the Louisville Bridge to 6th Street.

"We'll bury the cables, we'll have landscaping, sidewalks on both sides of the street and antique lighting," Guy said. "This is will eventually go all the way out to the airport. We'll go down Louisville, DeSiard and then Garrett Road to the airport."

Sidewalks along Louisville will be plain, but once sidewalk work begins on streets off Louisville in the business district, the city will have simulated brick sidewalks, or stained concrete, Guy said.

"We'll try to hit all the business districts eventually in the city of Monroe," he said. "When you think about it, all of these business districts intersect with Louisville in one way or another, except for maybe Forsythe Avenue. That's not on the list, but it can be."

"Tower-Armand could be put on the list in the future," Guy added.

The city has been approved for one street beautification project each year, Guy said.
Two years ago the city was approved for funding to improve Louisville Bridge to 6th Street. Last year, the city received funding to improve Louisville from 6th Street to 18th Street.

"Hopefully, with the stimulus package, we might be much more successful this year," Guy said.

The Louisville Bridge to 6th Street project will cost roughly $400,000. The state will pay for 95 percent of the costs of the project and the city must fund the remaining 5 percent. Also, the city of Monroe needed to obtain funding to bury the cables since the grant does not fund this task.

The city has received $80,000 in private donations to bury the cables along Louisville Avenue and 6th Street.

"Yet, we do not know exactly how much that will cost," Guy said.

For the nine projects the city council approved Tuesday, Guy said Denmon Engineering is conducting the cost estimates, which should be completed within a month.

These projects include enhancement efforts along 18th Street, 19th Street, 5th and 6th Street (Lea Joiner Expressway), DeSiard Street, South Grand Street, South 2nd Street, Winnsboro Road, and the remaining portions of Louisville Avenue.

Guy anticipates the city will submit the grants by next month.
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