Collinsville is getting ready to tear out and replace the decades-old sidewalks along the west side of its downtown square, the first piece of a set of downtown projects the west Grayson County town says will make the area easier to get around and more appealing to new businesses.
The west-side work is backed by a Texas Department of Transportation grant, KTEN reported Thursday. Construction was expected to start within weeks of the announcement, according to information city officials gave the station.
More than sidewalks
The town's Industrial Development Corporation, which is funded by sales tax, is paying for further improvements: new sidewalk links near City Hall and along Hughes Street to businesses on Main Street. The city also plans a parking lot for new businesses and shoppers and is considering more lighting along Main Street.
City Council member Austin Lewter stressed how the work is paid for. "This isn't a property tax. This isn't a bond. This is a sales tax-funded project," he told KTEN.
Betty Graham, a former president of Keep Collinsville Beautiful, said the west side needed attention because so many businesses sit there and the walkways are decades old. She said the goal is a downtown that looks better and works better for visitors. "We've been attempting to make Collinsville beautiful for a long time," she said.
