Jubilant ribbon-cutting opens Grand St. parkway project

The mood was cheery Nov. 15 when city officials and others gathered at Grand and Broadway for the ribbon-cutting on the $1.25 million Grand Street arterial improvement project. Clockwise from top, poised to do the actual snipping are City Inspector Ed Walton, Springfield Public Works Director Marc Thornsberry, Councilman Denny Whayne, Right-of-Way Supervisor Steven Shanholtzer, Councilwoman Mary Collette (with her dog Nancy Kerrigan), Ralph Manley, Mayor Tom Carlson, Project Engineer Lee Tiehen, Hartman Construction Project Superinten-dent Charles Packwood (in white hat) and contractor Dean Hartman. Manley and Carlson post the "completed" banner on the sign attesting to the funding of the voter-approved project, which was financed by the quarter-cent capital improvements sales tax. Finally, Whayne, Manley, Carlson and Collette join hands in celebration. The project transformed Grand from a two-lane street into a four-lane divided parkway with medians and left turn lanes, and includes sidewalks, storm sewers, street lighting and other improvements. Further street-scape and landscaping improvements are scheduled for completion next spring and fall.