Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Work on a major sidewalk project around the entire campuses of Andalusia High School and Andalusia Junior High School is expected to begin this summer, after the Andalusia City Council approved a $953,815 bid from Wiregrass Construction Company Tuesday.

The approximately 1.1-mile sidewalk project is being funded primarily by a federal TAP grant, with a 40 percent match from local funding. However, the city is currently pursuing additional grant funding for the project.

In conjunction with this project, the City Council also approved a $469,277 project with Bullard Excavation for drainage improvements on Henderson Street, and for improvements to Coleman Avenue from the Bypass to Henderson Street.

The projects go hand-in-hand, Darren Capps of Southern Engineering Solutions said. He said contracts should be finalized in 20 to 30 days, and work will begin shortly thereafter.

Mayor Earl Johnson said the projects will put the finishing touches on the AHS campus and bring new interest to the neighborhoods near the high school.

“We know from our experiences in building sidewalks in other areas of town how much they do to promote fitness and get people interested in living in a neighborhood,” he said. “We think this will do that for the high school neighborhoods, as well as highlight the athletic facilities at the school.”