The Oxford Board of Aldermen approved the first phase of the North Lamar corridor improvement project to move forward during its Oct. 20 meeting. The project will begin at the new roundabout and extend south toward Cincinnatus Boulevard.
“The idea is to convert that stretch and eventually all of North Lamar, to more of a main-street look with on-street parking and buildings closer to the road,” city engineer John Crawley said.
Road improvements
The first phase of the corridor improvement project has a $3.5 million budget. The project in total will add a multi-use path and on-street parking to North Lamar Boulevard from Price Street to Molly Barr Road. The first phase will run from the roundabout at Molly Barr Road and North Lamar Boulevard to The Lamar development at Cincinnatus Boulevard.
Additionally, the board approved adjustments to the intersection of Old Taylor Road and Chucky Mullins Drive. The project will add a traffic signal and left turn lanes. This intersection is the site of frequent traffic congestion, as many student living complexes are located in the South Old Taylor Road area.
Sewer updates
Another item approved was a request from Walker & Walker Enterprises LLC to connect the proposed Magnolia Bend subdivision to the city’s sewer system. The development, located on County Road 405 south of Highway 6 in Lafayette County, is expected to include between 130 and 140 homes.
City officials said the development will require upgrades to existing infrastructure, including the Brittany Woods lift station. Wastewater from the subdivision would be pumped beneath Highway 6 to connect to an existing city sewer line.
“Upgrades would be required at the Brittany Woods lift station for that,” city engineer John Crawley said. “It will give us sewer (access) in that east area of town, and we are going to need that going forward.”
Photo by Gavin Gallegos
mTrade Park facilities
The board also approved $14,590 in additional design services for the indoor practice facility at mTrade Park. The changes will affect the building’s interior finishes, retail shop and lobby. City officials expect the design revisions to take about two weeks.
The board also approved an agreement with the 3d Memphis Lacrosse club program — a girls’ lacrosse program based in Memphis — to operate tournaments at mTrade Park. Under the agreement, the operator will pay the city $65 per participating team.
Other city business
Other approved items included changes to the city’s land development code and the qualifications for historic preservation commissioners. The code changes clarify regulations for accessory dwelling units, mobile food vendors and mechanical equipment screening. The commission qualification change allows professionals who work in related fields within Oxford city limits to serve even if they live outside the city.
During her report, City of Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill said city department heads have started preparing for potential winter storms. Officials reviewed previous storm responses and discussed ways to improve future responses, including additional equipment and supplies.
“We had our first storm meeting today, although we are not speaking that into existence,” Tannehill said. “We just want to be prepared, and we talked about some things that need to be improved such as supplies, new processes we need to put in place and a few new pieces of equipment.”
