Work to resume soon to finish stalemated Homochitto-Canal repavement project

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Work is expected to begin soon to correct the flawed resurfacing of Homochitto and Canal streets. 

City officials have been haggling since December with the street contractor for the million-dollar job that proved to be deficient. However, steps to rectify the flawed work are set to take place later this month or early May, said Natchez Public Works Supervisor Justin Dollar.

Meeting Tuesday with Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson and city aldermen, Dollar said an agreement between him, engineers and the street-paving contractors has been reached on what needs to be done to fix the defects that have been reported.

“They are working to get some things in order. … The last week of April or the first week of May is when they intend to move back in to mill or overlay the deficient areas that have been outlined in the report,” he said.

While pavement was placed in March on severely rough sections left bare by the contractor in December on Homochitto Street, more work is to be done on it and Canal Street that will involve removing and reapplying asphalt.

“It’s not everyday that the city gets to do such a major job, and (it’s good) to know that job is going to be done correctly,” Gibson said.

“I want to underscore that this is at no additional cost to the city.” 

The mayor acknowledged Theobald’s cooperation for getting the project finished and commended another paving company – APAC – that “stepped in” to help. The company supplied the asphalt and repaired Homochitto Street’s pavement-stripped sections in March where it intersects with Martin Luther King Street at The Malt Shop and also by the Adams County Family Health Center at Duncan Avenue.