Mayor Barbara Bass held a news conference today to officially cut the ribbon to open phase 2A of Grande Boulevard in South Tyler. The $13 million project extends Grande from Sutherland Drive to Paluxy Drive and also widens New Copeland Road from Rieck Road to Grande Boulevard.
“The Grande project plays a key role in the City’s traffic mitigation plans to ease congestion on South Broadway by creating a new east/west corridor,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “The Tyler 21 Plan identified traffic as the number one community concern; this project is a major step in addressing these issues.”
Segment 2A consists of 7,200 feet of roadway in addition to 2,800 feet for New Copeland Road. Construction began in December 2007 and took 21 months to complete. On Grande, the pavement is 9.5 inches of concrete laid upon six inches of cement treated sub grade.
The total project cost was paid for in cash by proceeds from the Half Cent Sales Tax.
“It is really gratifying to see a project of this magnitude completed and paid for with cash,” added Mayor Bass. “To avoid debt for major infrastructure speaks volumes of the City’s financial position.”
The next phase of the Grande Boulevard project, segment 2B, extends from Paluxy Drive to State Highway 110 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2009.
Phase 1 of the Grande Boulevard project was completed in April 2006 and extended from Old Grande to Sutherland Drive.