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Bike trail coming to Natchez?
Published Thursday, March 18, 2010
NATCHEZ — The Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority has chipped in $2,000 toward a $22,500 feasibility study to establish a 70-mile bike trail from Vicksburg to Natchez.
EDA Board Chairman Woody Allen said Wednesday the proposed trail will run along power line right of ways owned by Entergy. The trail is meant to compliment the Mississippi River Trail — a recreational route that travels along the Mississippi River from Minnesota to New Orleans.
Allen contacted Natchez City Engineer David Gardner about the city’s participation in the project, and both agreed the trail is something worth pursuing.
“The study will be helpful for us and open the door for other trails to come to Natchez,” Gardner said.
Gardner said talks are circulating about creating a bike trail along Natchez Trace Parkway, which could eventually merge with the city’s own Natchez Trails Project. The first phase of construction for the Natchez Trails is slated for completion in spring 2011.
The first phase of the Natchez Trails Project — a $2.9 million venture — has been fully funded via government earmarks, grants and private contributions totaling $380,000, and includes 5.6 miles of trails along Broadway, High, Rankin, Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. streets.
“If we can get all these trails connected that’s the ultimate goal,” Gardner said. “Tying in existing trails that we have and hooking them to Grand Village of the Natchez Indians or Emerald Mound is the ultimate overall vision of a community that embraces a trails system, and (the study) could help us develop that.”
The feasibility study is slated for completion in six months and will be followed by an environmental impact study, Allen said. Other entities funding the feasibility study include Entergy, the city of Vickburg, Claiborne County and Hinds County.
Comments
Posted by ntz143 (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I would love to see this happen. The Long Leaf Trail over in Hattiesburg that goes all the way to Prentiss is one of the nicest biking/running/walking trails around. A lot of people in our community are into fitness...maybe having something like this would encourage some couch potatoes to get up and get moving!
Posted by 2BAD4U (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
$22,500 is a lot for a feasibility study. I hate to sound negative, but in a time where people can't find/or keep a job they're spending that much on just a study.
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hold the phone. This bike trail feasibility study is being proposed by the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority...the same EDA that Phillip West and others are trying to "replace" with Natchez, Inc (read yesterday's Natchez Democrat). If the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority is doing their job, then why is West, and others, looking for legislation to dissolve EDA and start Natchez, Inc with West as a Board member? What's in it for West? Also who in the private sector guaranteed $150,000 per year for three years to Natchez, Inc? What are "they" getting for their money? What is West's, and other Natchez, Inc Board member's salary? Anytime that I see a career politician working angles to dissolve one government supported entity to replace with another gives me pause to ask questions. Surely there is a story here. Why the necessity for the change? Why dissolve an established EDA? Maybe the Natchez Democrat can do some real investigative reporting and share their findings with their readers. If not, there are always other investigative reporting teams in surrounding metropolitan areas that would surely find this to be worthy of bringing to light the real facts behind this effort.
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Phillip West is a Board member of the new group Natchez, Inc. What salary and perks does West get for serving on this Board? Also, why was the Economic Development Authority disbanded anyhow? Was it corrupt? Did it have a Board that did nothing but received handsome salaries? The newly formed Natchez, Inc will be a 501(c)(6) non-profit group with funding coming from the City of Natchez, Adams County and the private sector. Who made the commitments of more than $150,000 per year for the next three years? How are these private sector donors connected to West and what do they "get" for their donations? These are just some of the thoughts that come to mind whenever a career politician is actively involved in dismantling one government funded agency to set up a replacement. Perhaps the Natchez Democrat could shed some light on these questions. Surely if the taxpayers of Natchez-Adams County are to fund Natchez, Inc, then transparency should pose no problems.
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go to the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority website to see for yourself what they are doing http://natchezadams.com/home.htm
Posted by tenzing (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Set aside the politics for the moment, if you can.
This would be incredible - another route for tourists to find their way to Natchez. I could easily see this being "one of America's top 10 unknown bike trails" in Outdoor Magazine. It's just a great idea, and an all too rare case of someone in Natchez thinking ahead.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
70 miles of places to get bikejacked. Wonderful. The thugs will have a ball with anyone dumb enough to ride a bicycle on this trail.
Posted by erohed (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's not about money to me, it's about giving our community recreation. And, this form of recreation would give free access, not only to visidual history but nature as well.
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh don't get me wrong. Bring on the bike path. The bike trail is a wonderful idea. My point was that this was being pursued through the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority. They are doing their job. Why do we need Natchez, Inc? We'll deal with the thugs and punks in our own way by reporting them to local law enforcement and being good stewards of our community.
Posted by Geaux_Tigers (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 5:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hardcorps -- get out of your negativity and enjoy your life while you still can. Or don't. But just go somewhere else with your depressing view of things.
Natchez needs more of this stuff -- sports-tourism and new outdoors activities to compliment what we already have. It's a good idea for locals and tourist alike and I hope something comes of it. I'd also like to see us make (safe) use of the River in someway.
Posted by DeanWormer (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There are some bikers who can do 70 plus miles in a day and more. However, why not have a bike trail that more or less circles Natchez. Start at the Bluffs around the visitors Center and follow the old railroad that goes by Moose Lodge and have it go over the overpass on Homochitto, then have it hook up with the exsisting trails at Duncan Park. Then have it continue down the railroad that crosses Montebello-Melrose and have it hook up to the new addition to the Natchez Trace. Maybe you can have it end downtown somewhere. Believe me 70 miles includes some lonely stretches. If you are not with A group, I think I would pass.
Posted by natchezsouthside (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
this is a great idea! terrific for Natchez!
Add it along with the ice skating rink!
Go Natchez!!!!!!
Posted by abby1959 (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 8:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Recreation and bike trails are great for Natchez but the EDA or Natchez Inc. need to think more on jobs first then the other will come.
Posted by windy (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(Hardcorps)yes you are right i wonder how many rapes and bodies will be found out there
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 10:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Doesn't anyone besides me find it strange that Natchez, Inc will replace the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority? Why? This article about the proposed bike trail was brought about through EDA. How come Phillip West and others are doing an end-around to dissolve EDA? The Natchez Democrat has not addressed this issue...as best I can tell...from reading archive articles on this subject. This certainly has the makings of not passing the smell test...especially when Phillip West is involved. Come on Natchez Democrat...provide some answers.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on March 18, 2010 at 11:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
maybe this will help you.
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2010...
EDA needs to be revamped. Not only can they not keep a Director, they did not even know they were suppose to meet once a year. (Or did they)
I'm more interested in the players of... "and a private sector group known as Natchez Now"
"Natchez Now has already received commitments of $133,000 each year for the next three years" (thats about 400k)
I am not going to get into the figures suggested by the Boyette study for city and county donations. If they went with it though, it would equate to about 800k in 3 years .
Over $1 mil for 3 years all combined. Somewhere in those figures is the Executive Directors suggested salary of 115k x 3 years= 345,000
So now we are at 850k+, good luck!
Best get to work, and I'm not talking about a new gas station as your promo.
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 19, 2010 at 6:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
steve_o, that is what I am talking about. Here is a MAJOR change from one government funded entity to another...and Phillip West right in the middle of it. This doesn't pass the smell test. What does Phillip West get out of this? Perhaps that executive salary? Who are these private investors and what do they get out of it? And does the City of Natchez and Adams County have dedicated funds set aside for Natchez, Inc? If so, what system of checks and balances is set in place to prevent bleeding tax payer money into a slush fund salary for Phillip West (and others)? There are way too many questions and not enough answers for my tastes. This transition should be transparent...unless of course...there is something to hide.
Posted by NatchezMS1978 (anonymous) on March 19, 2010 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
steve_o, I went back and read the article from the link you provided. It states that Phillip West represents the Natchez Business & Civic League. I looked them up on yellow pages and found a listing shared by the Wallace Center on Martin Luther King Drive near Lynda Lee Drive. So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Phillip West's only role in Natchez, Inc is purely racially motivated. What can Phillip West offer to Natchez, Inc? To look after minorities? I think not. Go to the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority website, http://natchezadams.com/data2.htm#Popula..., and you will see that whites make up 46% while blacks make up 52.8% of the population of Natchez-Adams County. So what "minority" will he be representing? Certainly not mine.
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