An eight-month construction project begins Monday on one of downtown Kirksville’s busiest streets. The “Franklin Streetscape Project,” in downtown Kirksville is projected to be completed by early next summer.
City Engineer Ed Ieans said the project is a joint effort between Truman State University and the City of Kirksville as a downtown beautification project.
“The project entails putting in a new sidewalk and decorative light poles and taking the overhead power and putting it underground to give it a true streetscape looking type project," Ieans said.
In addition to new sidewalks and decorative light poles, the city will also install new curbs and asphalt street overlay along the west side of Franklin Street.
The construction will be broken up into phases.
Ieans said the majority of phase one will only affect downtown Kirksville and leave campus relatively unaffected.
Most of phase two, however, will take place on Truman State’s campus. It is scheduled to begin Dec. 15.
Ieans said he hopes the city will complete a majority of the work on campus while students are home on winter break.
