Adams County and Natchez officials are edging closer to their goal of matching funds for the rebuilding of Government Fleet Road.

Last year, the Mississippi Transportation Department approved a $1.5 million grant, which was funded in part by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, for the project. As part of the agreement, the city and county must come up with 20 percent of the amount in local funds.

That has proved difficult to do, but Natchez City Engineer David Gardner said the joint project between the city and county is closer than ever to achieving its goal of rebuilding the road, which is an access road to the Natchez-Adams County Port.

Gardner said the project lacks between $250,000 and $280,000 of meeting the 20 percent requirement.

&uot;The city and county are working together to get this grant,&uot; Gardner said. The county has already appropriated $78,000 toward the project in its budget for the fiscal year.

James Johnston, the city’s community development coordinator, met with the state Department of Economic and Community Development Monday hoping to acquire the necessary funds. Johnston said he thinks the city has a good chance of getting the grant funding. &uot;(Port Director) Pat Murphy estimates there are 50,000 trucks that travel one way on that street each year,&uot; he said. &uot;If you count both ways, that’s 100,000 trucks going down that very narrow, very dangerous road.&uot;

The DECD awards grants based on the creation and retention of jobs related to a project. Gardner said the rebuilding plan will help retain jobs at Jones Lumber Mill and possibly bring new industry into the area it services.

The city has already hired a local engineering firm to oversee the surveying, design and administration of the rebuilding project. Jordan, Kaiser and Sessions LLC will begin surveying the Government Fleet Road area within the next two to three weeks, Gardner said. With surveys and right-of-way work aside, construction on the road should begin in February 2002, with a completion date set at June 2003.

Kerry Whipple contributed to this report.