After more than two years of planning, the City of Jemison received the go ahead for a $300,000 sidewalks project that will be constructed along U.S. Highway 31.

Mayor Eddie Reed told the city council Monday night the process was long but the city was ready to seek bids on the grant-funded project.

“We began working the project two years ago when the city was awarded a grant funded mostly by the Federal Highway Administration and the state,” Mayor Reed said. He explained the state department of transportation had to take care of right-of-way issues before it could turn the matter over to the federal agency for approval.

“The Federal Highway Administration took approximately one year to give its approval on the project,” Mayor Reed said, adding the city made trips to the DOT office in Tuscaloosa during that time to make sure the project met all environmental requirements.

Bids on the project will be sought by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, the city’s engineer firm handling the project. Mayor Reed said the project is expected to take four to six months to complete. “The completion time will depend much on the weather,” he said, adding he believed the actual work on the project may not begin until spring.

The project will begin at the southern end of the Jemison High School and will continue to the intersection of Highway 31 and Church Street.

“The sidewalks will make walking along Highway 31 much safer for our shoppers and school children,” Reed said. “It will be a much needed improvement for our city.”

Mayor Reed said the city plans to continue to seek grants that will allow Jemison to improve its sidewalks in other areas.