Natchez finally has an opportunity to fix a problem that has plagued downtown for years. And it just took a little bit of innovative thinking to get the financing.

The city had already receiving $8 million in federal funding for drainage improvements to the Canal Street and north Natchez areas. But the money from the U.S. Corps of Engineers came with a stipulation: the city had to find a $2 million match.

The proposed improvements will include lining and remortaring the old brick arch under Canal Street &045;&045; the drainage canal that gave the street its name so many years ago and has served as the main drainage canal for north and downtown Natchez. The city has already had to contend with cave-ins on the street, including one as recently as a year ago in front of the post office.

But without a $2 million match, the city could not use its grant funds for this needed project. So city officials began looking for other ways to find the money. The most promising &045;&045; because it wouldn’t require city debt or taxpayers’ money &045;&045; was to have the state name Canal Street a gaming road and allocate funding for improvements. Kudos in particular to Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux, who was dogged about pursuing the idea with Mississippi Department of Transportation Director Larry L. &uot;Butch&uot; Brown.

That allocation was made official on Wednesday when the governor signed a highway appropriations bill for Mississippi &045;&045; a bill that included the $2 million match.

We’re looking forward to seeing those improvements soon and knowing that we’ll be on safe footing &045;&045; literally &045;&045; on Canal Street.