Canal and Landon Road Reconstruction Project underway in Harrison County

The intersection at Canal and Landon Road has been closed for a good portion of the day as work starts on the $1.33 million project.

Many people who travel on Landon and Canal roads in Harrison County had to take a detour as Coast Electric crews begin moving power poles, an important first step in the $1.33 million state aid funded reconstruction project. Coast Electric Director of Communication April Lollar said, “We are doing some infrastructure work so that means moving some lines and some poles to get ready to improve this intersection here for our residents.”

The county was able to get the state to match with $150,000 under ground water remediation which will go towards removing outdated and potentially contaminated underground gas tanks. Harrison County Board of Supervisors President Rebecca Powers said, “There is a grant, an underwater ground remediation fund, which we qualified for that was $150,000. That’s about what it is going to cost to rip down this canopy, move all the old tanks. We are going to do bids soon, get the best underwater ground remediation team.”

The initial project would have cost $2.5 million for Coast Electric to move their power poles, but after negotiating with Coast Electric, the county decided to move the project south. Lollar said, “When the project was initially designed, the widening of the road was going to be to the north so that would have meant a lot more infrastructure changes for Coast Electric. So, moving it a little bit south with Rebecca Powers finding the grants to get these gas tanks changed out. It’s been beneficial to us because it means less infrastructure changes for us.”

When the project is complete, there will be new electric poles installed. The roadway will be widened to add a turning lane and the 7 Star Food Mart will receive new gas pumps. Powers said, “We are going to have a stop light right here, all the pot holes you see will be gone. Residents are thrilled. We are going to have the most beautiful four way turn lane here at Canal and Landon and this little convenience store has been sold because all that we are doing and it is going to be better and more beautiful.”

The county will break ground on the project in early fall.