Lauderdale County receives $819,000 TAP grant as one of five recipients

Lauderdale County officials joined Mississippi Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons and other elected leaders from the East Mississippi region Tuesday as the county was one of five recipients of Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant funding.

 

Simmons presented the county with a check for $819,000, which will go toward the second phase of a walking trail project along Sowashee Creek. The first phase saw the trail stretch from 29th Avenue to Grand Avenue.

“On behalf of the Department of Transportation, the Commissioner Busby, Commissioner Caldwell and myself, along with our Executive Director Brad White and the 2,700 employees that we have, we are so grateful to be working with our local partners like you who are here today to make things happen,” Simmons said.

 

TAP funds are federal dollars administered through the Mississippi Department of Transportation for projects improving pedestrian safety, handicap accessibility and infrastructure for bicycles and other non-motorized transport.

 

Supervisor Josh Todd, who serves as president of the Board of Supervisors, said the county is fortunate to have Simmons serving as commissioner for the Central District. Regardless of politics, Simmons is there to support the people of East Mississippi, he said.

 

“I don’t know how many of y’all rode across a bridge or road on the way here, but not one of them is a Democrat or Republican, and this man sees none of that,” Todd said. “He sees us. He sees East Mississippi, and he sees what we can be and who we are right now.”

 

In addition to Lauderdale County, other entities receiving TAP grant funds include the city of Meridian, town of Marion, town of Scooba in cooperation with the Kemper County Economic Development Authority and East Mississippi Community College.

 

In total, Simmons said the grants add up to around $5 million in federal funds for infrastructure in the East Mississippi region.

 

“As commissioner, I am so excited to be here today and to be able to provide this $5 million to the East Mississippi community for our pedestrians,” he said.