Much-anticipated upgrades to a road in Back Acres Country Club have led to delivery complications for postal workers who distribute mail in that area.
“The issue is the unsafe conditions of the road and mud on the soft shoulders at the ends of driveways,” said Postmaster Randy Dandridge of the Senatobia Post Office. “A couple of our trucks have gotten stuck. The safety of our carriers so they can properly deliver mail is always a top priority.”
Crews are widening Country Club Road from Gabbert Drive to the Como Trace entrance and will eventually overlay it with asphalt. The road is being expanded on the east side up to six feet to make room for bicycles, golf carts, and a walking lane. T
he work zone has been problematic for mail carriers who make rounds six days a week through the area. Dandridge said he has talked with Kevin McLeod from Elliott & Britt Engineering to discuss ways to resolve the issue. McLeod suggested adding a temporary bank of mailboxes at the Back Acres golf clubhouse to accommodate approximately 62 residents affected by the road construction.
Dandridge said carriers are continuing to run routes on Country Club Road for now despite the adverse conditions.
“We are currently still delivering mail to every box on that road,” Dandridge said. “We just ask for our customers to be patient as we work through this. We are doing everything we can to ensure they get their mail every day.”
McLeod said entrances to driveways on a section of Country Club Road were being repaired last week in preparation of laying asphalt, but cold temperatures could push repaving to this week.
“Asphalt can’t be placed if it’s not 50-ish degrees and rising,” McLeod said. “We’re hoping they can pave, but the forecasted temps for late last week weren’t good. This week’s weather is forecasted to be better, so it’s most likely going to be this week.”
Tate County Supervisors presented a proposal to the public in November 2019 for renovations to a 2.68-mile section of Country Club Road and received $2.5 million from the Mississippi legislature for the upgrades, according to County Administrator Cole Massie.
The project, which carries a price tag of $2,537,325, includes shaving three to four feet off two problematic hills – north and south of May Drive – on Country Club Road to correct drainage problems and provide a better sight view for drivers. McLeod said the top of the hill north of May Drive has been removed but work on the one to the south has yet to be done.
A roundabout will also be added to replace the four-way stop at the north entrance of Back Acres Country Club where Country Club Road connects with Gabbert Drive and Shands Bottom Road.
McLeod said the entire project, which was contracted to begin last April by Ste-Bil Grading Inc., is expected to be finished at the beginning of 2022 since the contract time for completion is 180 working days.
“I don’t count Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and weather days as working days, so 180 working days could be estimated as 10 months with an average of 18 working days per month,” he explained. “That would put them being done sometime in the first part of 2022, although I hope they can get a majority of the work done before the end of this year with only minor items and cleanup early next year.”
